Nothing and Everything
by Still My Heart
Summary: About a relationship that starts off not so innocent, but progresses to love. HGSS. Actual summary in first chapter.
1. Detention and an offer

About a relationship that starts out based on sex, but slowly moves beyond that to love.

A/N: Woot, 'nother story. Right off, I wanna say that despite the summary, this story does not need an NC-17 rating, because it will not get that graphic, although the R rating will be maintained throughout. This is loosely based on two songs, "Secret" by Maroon5 and "One Thing" by Finger Eleven. Happy reading :D  
  
A/N #2: I wanna remind folks that I start classes soon (Monday) and so updates will be far slower than normal, but by no means do I intend to abandon this, or any other story that comes along (and I've got two others in the works)

A/N #3: Apparently we're not allowed any more seperating breaks in our stories... figures... consider this the segway into the story...

Severus Snape sighed in disgust and wiped the grimy fingerprints off his ingredient jars. Damn kids and their sticky fingers.  
  
"Professor?"  
  
Severus, startled, allowed the jar to slip through his hands, where it shattered on the floor. He rounded angrily on the owner of the voice.  
  
Hermione Granger, eyes wide, began to kneel down to pick up the glass fragments and scattered ingredients, apologizing profusely.  
  
"Miss Granger," Severus said shortly, pulling her to her feet. "Can I help you with something?"  
  
"Er... I was wondering, sir, about the essay you assigned."  
  
"Yes, Miss Granger?" Severus bit back a very long diatribe, berating the girl for interrupting him about something as trivial as an essay.  
  
"I know you assigned two rolls of parchment, but would more be alright? Say, four?"  
  
"You won't receive extra credit, you realize."  
  
"Oh, oh, of course, yes. I mean, no. I mean-"  
  
Severus held up his hand, holding back a sigh.  
  
"Four rolls will be fine, Miss Granger. Is that all?"  
  
"Yes, sir," Hermione answered, barely restraining her grin. "Thank you."  
  
Severus scowled when she had gone, then sighed, repairing the jar with a wave of his wand. He bent and cleaned up the ingredients, then stood, inspecting the plants in his hands. Ruined, probably by something on the floor.  
  
Annoyed, he sighed again and got rid of the plants, stalking over to his desk and snatching up the papers already on the desk, then storming into his office and slamming the door behind him."Miss Granger," Severus called at the end of class the following Friday. Hermione looked back at him and he beckoned her towards the desk. She said something to Ron and Harry, who both glanced distrustfully at Severus but nodded and left with the rest of the students.  
  
Hermione approached the desk after everyone had gone, slinging her bag over her shoulder.  
  
"Yes, sir?" she asked, looking very slightly nervous.  
  
"Miss Granger-"  
  
"Is it my essay, sir?"  
  
"Er, no," Severus answered, glancing down at the large roll consisting of six, not four, smaller rolls. "No. I'm just notifying you of your detention."  
  
"Detention?" Hermione gasped. "For what?"  
  
"The ingredients I dropped on Monday were ruined and I need more. Seeing as how it's more or less your fault, I'm giving you a detention. Tomorrow night in the Forbidden Forest. Meet me there at ten o'clock."  
  
"Yes, sir," Hermione answered, very quietly.  
  
"That's all. You may go."  
  
Hermione nodded and slowly left the classroom.  
  
"What'd Snape want?" Ron asked as Hermione sat in the chair the boys had saved for her.  
  
"He gave me a detention," Hermione answered sulkily.  
  
"For what?" Harry asked incredulously. Hermione sighed.  
  
"Monday, I surprised him... some ingredient got ruined. I have to go with him to get more."  
  
"When?" Ron asked.  
  
"Tomorrow night. In the Forest."  
  
Ron made an odd sort of sputtering noise and Hermione frowned at him, pulling a book from her bag.  
  
"Ron, just don't."  
  
Ron scowled and sat back in his chair, muttering something that sounded very much like "greasy git".The next night Hermione set out from Gryffindor Tower at 9:30, wanting to be early and have to be waiting for Snape rather than the other way around.  
  
Once outside she lit her wand and headed for the edge of the forest. She swept the edge of the forest with the light to make sure Snape wasn't waiting and, satisfied, stood in a spot and waited.  
  
The night seemed to be growing colder by the minute and by the time ten o'clock rolled around, she was shivering, her arms folded tightly across her chest.  
  
Snape came striding towards Hermione at five past ten and stopped in front of her. He stared at her a moment.  
  
"How long have you been out here?"  
  
"A half hour," Hermione answered, wondering if her teeth chattering was just in her head or if she was really hearing it.  
  
Snape gave Hermione an appraising look and then sighed and pulled off his cloak, handing it to Hermione.  
  
"Put it on. No need for you to freeze while we're out here."  
  
"Thank you," Hermione murmured, wrapping the cloak around her shoulders.  
  
"Better?" Snape asked. Hermione nodded and Snape lit his wand, motioning for Hermione to do the same. She did so and followed Snape into the forest.  
  
"Just keep beside me and try not to make too much noise. I won't let anything happen to you."  
  
Hermione swallowed hard and clutched Snape's cloak tighter, keepin her wand beam pointed in front of her.  
  
She stayed as close to Snape as she dared as they walked throuhg the forest, nervously looking around. She hated coming into the forest at night, just because of the things she knew were in here.  
  
As she thought this, there was a rustling behind her and she moved so close to Snape that she trod on his robes. He looked at her, annoyed, and she took a step back.  
  
"Sorry, sir, I just heard something..."  
  
The rustling was heard again and an arrow suddenly came shooting out from behind Hermione and Snape, embedding its tip in a tree just beside Snape. Hermione heard him curse under his breath and turned with him to see a centaur amble out of the underbrush, bow at the ready.  
  
"Lower your weapon," Snape said evenly, reaching over and pushing Hermione so that she was behind him now.  
  
"We will not hurt the girl if she does not give us reason to," the centaur said, though he did not lower his bow.  
  
"All the same," Snape countered, now standing almost completely in front of Hermione.  
  
"Lower your bow," a deep voice said, the owner striding up beside the grey centaur. Hermione, peering around Snape, recognized the new centaur as Bane. The grey centaur followed this command and Bane took a few steps forward.  
  
"What is your name?" he asked.  
  
"Severus Snape. I am a professor at the school."  
  
"Ah, yes. And the girl?"  
  
"Hermione Granger. A student at the school."  
  
Bane frowned. "A student and a professor, in the forest, so late?"  
  
"I resent the insinuation," Snape said shortly. "This is an assignment. We did not come here to bother you or your people. Our destination is the spring. We will not go beyond that."  
  
Bane surveyed Snape for a moment.  
  
"And you maintain your intentions with the girl are noble?" the centaur finally said.  
  
"Yes," Snape snapped impatiently.  
  
"Very well then, you may go."  
  
"Thank you," Snape muttered, turning back towards Hermione and stepped around her to lead the way.  
  
Hermione followed him, glancing back to see the centaurs still watching them. Hermione stepped up beside Snape.  
  
"What was all that about noble intentions?" she asked a few minutes later. Severus sighed and looked at her, wondering if he should tell her.  
  
"Years and years back," he began, leading Hermione around a patch of dense underbrush, "before I was a student here and then again before I became a teacher, there were two incidents involving a male professor, different each time, bringing female students into the forest under false pretenses. From what I was told, the centaurs stepped in, interrupting the second occurance, and while they harbor great mistrust against humans, they do not condone harming children, and so are rather watchful when students and professors enter the forest."  
  
Hermione looked alarmed at this information and Severus feared for a moment that he had terribly frightened the girl.  
  
"Miss Granger-" he started, ducking under a low hanging branch.  
  
"Who were they?" she asked, walking under the same branch. "The professors."  
  
"They no longer teach at Hogwarts."  
  
"Oh," Hermione said, very softly, pulling the cloak closer around herself.  
  
"Miss Granger, my intention was not to frighten you, although you did ask."  
  
"Oh, no. I'm fine. It's just strange to think of something like that happening at Hogwarts."  
  
"Although wizards and Muggles tend to be very different, Miss Granger, we are all human beings when you get down to it," Severus said, stepping up onto a ledge and extending his hand to help Hermione up. "Born to procreate and die, but fettered by our desires, to be loved, to be accepted, to be successful. In the end, no one is ever happy."  
  
"I don't believe that," Hermione said quietly.  
  
"And what exactly don't you believe, Miss Granger?" Severus replied, looking back at her.  
  
"That no one's ever happy when they die."  
  
"Everyone always wishes they could change at least one thing in their past," Severus said.  
  
"But that doesn't make them unhappy," Hermione pressed, tugging her robes from a rather thorny bush. "Some people learn to accept the fact they can't change their past, and they move forward."  
  
Severus stopped walking and looked at Hermione. She stared back, unconcerned.  
  
"It's just what I think, sir."  
  
Severus nodded. "Well, you're entitled to your opinion." He turned and continued walking, hearing Hermione coming along behind him. He had felt like she was speaking directly about him. Perhaps she was.  
  
They continued on to the stream and gathered the necessary plants, then headed carefully back to the castle.  
  
Snape bid Hermione good night at the staircase and continued on to the dungeons. Hermione watched him for a minute, then turned and headed for Gryffindor Tower.  
  
It wasn't until she reached her dorm that she realized she still had Snape's cloak on. She took it off and folded it, noticing the smell. Kind of like old books: warm and comforting, to her at least. Smiling, slightly surprised, she stuck the folded cloak into her bag, ready to give to Snape on Monday.Hermione returned Severus's cloak at the end of class on Monday and then left with Ron and Harry.  
  
Severus watched her leave, pressing the cloak between his hands. He never would've imagined he'd have had the conversation he and Hermione had had Saturday night. While it hadn't been the height of intellectual discussion, it had been stimulating, even though brief.  
  
Part of him wanted her back, if only to talk with someone who was possibly very close to his, if not on the same, intellectual level. However, beyond giving the girl another detention, he had no way to get her in here. But he wasn't a Slytherin for nothing. He would find a way.  
  
The next day, Severus watched Hermione very closely, looking for a reason to give her a detention. He couldn't help but admire her technique as she worked, her ingredients laid out before her, her timing perfect in simmering, stirring, and adding. Her only flaw, it seemed, was choosing to sit next to exponentially weaker person, and this person was embodied in Neville Longbottom, who Severus felt was better off packing up his cauldron, but by some fluke had ended up in his N.E.W.T. class.  
  
Now Severus watched as Neville picked grabbed the right ingredient but from Hermione's workstation instead of his own, consequently lining Hermione up to use the wrong ingredient at the wrong time, and leading Hermione to her first melted cauldron in her six years at Hogwarts.  
  
Hermione's face was twisted in horror as she watched Severus clear the mess and he almost felt sorry for her as her eyes shimmered with tears. Longbottom looked as though he wanted to die, knowing full well that Hermione's first failing grade was his fault.  
  
"See me after class, Miss Granger," Severus said, very softly and probably more kindly than he'd originally intended. She nodded silently, staring at the twisted remains of her cauldron as she picked up her bag and moved to the back of the classroom.  
  
"Everyone, back to work," Severus snapped.  
  
Slowly the class turned back to their cauldrons, Longbottom clearly shaken, and Weasley and Potter looking very distracted as they kept glancing over at Hermione, who was now sitting at a table in the very back of the classroom, her head resting on her arms, her face hidden. Draco Malfy, on the other hand, looked as though he was trying very hard not to gloat, and Severus frowned, longing to wipe the smirk off the blonde's face, simply because the boy irritated him immensely.  
  
The bell rang at the end of class and the students all brought their potions to the desk, excepting, of course, Hermione, who didn't move as the students slowly filed out of the room; she ignored Ron and Harry's attempts to talk to her, and finally, the boys gave up and left, followed closely by Longbottom who glanced, stricken, at Hermione before leaving.  
  
After the last student had gone, Severus looked at Hermione.  
  
"Miss Granger," he said. She looked up, sniffling and wiping her eyes.  
  
"If you could come here," Severus continued. Hermione stood, slipping the strap of her bag onto her shoulder, and walked to the desk.  
  
"Are you giving me detention?" she asked quietly, looking up at Severus. He nodded.  
  
"It was, after all, your lack of attention that led to the destruction of your potion and the melting of your cauldron. Which you will need to replace before too long."  
  
Hermione nodded. "Yes, sir."  
  
"Your detention will be this Saturday night, straight after dinner, in here."  
  
Hermione nodded again. "Yes, sir." She turned to go, but Severus stopped her.  
  
"Miss Granger."  
  
Hermione turned to look at him.  
  
"You may write an essay on how to properly brew this potion. It will earn you a passing grade on this assignment. Not your usual one hundred, but better than a zero."  
  
Hermione nodded again, looking very slightly happier than before. "Thank you, sir."  
  
Severus nodded dismissively. "You may go."  
  
Hermione left the classroom and Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. His intent had not been to destroy the girl's perfect grade, though by no means was her botched potion his fault.  
  
However, he would see her Saturday night, and he had given her the opportunity to save her grade from its dangerous impending plummet.  
  
Knowing full well she would deliver more than a passing grade, but also that he could give her no more than that, Severus went ahead and wrote the grade in his gradebook, watching the her new average compute. Still the highest in her class, but not by much, as Malfoy trailed closely behind her. It wouldn't take Hermione long to bring her grade back up, though.  
  
Severus sat down and graded the potions quickly, recording the grades and watching the averages change.  
  
"Highest to lowest," he muttered, tapping the book with his wand. The names rearranged themselves, and Severus, though satisfied to see Hermione still at the top, was also annoyed to see Malfoy just trailing behind her.  
  
Severus reordered the names and snapped the book shut, clearing the potions and placing the book in its usual place in his desk, the top right hand drawer, then headed into his chambers to try and ease his headache.Saturday night Hermione was punctual as always, calling to Severus as she entered the classroom.  
  
He stepped into the room, papers in his hand to grade, and directed Hermione to a cauldron full of soapy water, telling her to scrub down all the tables.  
  
Hermione nodded silently and magicked the heavy cauldron to the back of the classroom, pulling off and piling her robes on the counter.  
  
She rolled her sleeves up and reached into the cauldron, grasping the scrub brush and bringing it up onto the nearest table.  
  
Severus and Hermione worked in silence, Hermione scrubbing and Severus grading.  
  
An hour later, Hermione had only finished half of the tables and she paused briefly to push her hair away from her face.  
  
Severus looked up at her as he recorded the final grade.  
  
"You can take a break, Miss Granger," he said, glancing down to see the new averages before closing the book and putting it away.  
  
"Thank you, sir," Hermione murmured, dropping the brush into the cauldron and rubbing her shoulder.  
  
"Have you replaced your cauldron yet?" Severus asked. Hermione looked up, seemingly surprised at Severus making apparent conversation with her.  
  
"I've ordered it, yes. I should have it next week."  
  
Severus nodded. "You don't seem as confident using the class cauldrons."  
  
"I'm not," Hermione agreed. "Although I wouldn't have thought you'd have noticed."  
  
"How's that?" Severus asked, leaning forward, crossing his arms on the table.  
  
"I just didn't think you would notice something like that." Hermione paused. "Or me, even."  
  
"You're a good worker, Miss Granger," Severus said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Thank you, sir," Hermione said, smiling very slightly. Severus nodded shortly.  
  
After a moment of silence that was threatening to become an awkward moment, Hermione bent and picked up the brush and set about completing her task.  
  
As she finished the last table, Severus stood to inspect her work, starting from the back and working his way to the front of the room where Hermione stood, rubbing her left shoulder.  
  
"Very well, Miss Granger," Severus said when he reached Hermione. She nodded, relieved, and started towards the door.  
  
"Miss Granger," Severus called. Hermione turned, pulling on her robes.  
  
"I don't typically ask this of students, given that none have ever met my standards, but I was curious to see if you would like to accompany me to a convention. Testing of new potions, lectures, debates. You would be with me as an assistant, but I do know you have theories of your own, and I think they would serve to further the convention." Severus paused, eyeing Hermione. "Are you interested?"  
  
"Yes," Hermione answered, rather breathlessly.  
  
"Very well then. Next Friday we will discuss it further."  
  
Hermione nodded, looking as though she might burst from holding in her excitement.  
  
"Alright, sir, thank you. Very much." Hermione smiled politely and left the classroom.  
  
Severus raised his eyebrows as he heard a small shriek echo down the corridor and he shook his head slightly, though he couldn't supress a small smile as he cleared away the soapy water and put the cauldron up, entering his chambers for bed.


	2. A project and a mystery

A/N: Anyone miss me? Heh... yes, finally, here's Chapter 2. I know it's been a while, but I've been busy with school and the like. Chapter 3 is finished, just needs to be typed, and it'll probably be here within a week or so. Happy reading and reviews are always appreciated :D

* * *

"I've cleared everything for you," Severus said two weeks later as they sat in his office. "Through Dumbledore and registered you as my assistant with the convention."

"And now will you tell me more about this convention?" Hermione asked, her arms crossed over her chest. Severus raised an eyebrow.

"I'll have you know, Miss Granger, that I was waiting for Dumbledore's and the convention's approval of you as my assistant. I didn't want to needlessly raise your hopes just to dash them." Severus paused just long enough for Hermione to look properly abashed before continuing. "Now, as I mentioned, the convention has three main parts. New potion trials, lectures, and debates. Potions Masters and professors come from all around the world. Participation is not required; attendees are allowed to simply spectate and evaluate. It's been a long while since I've presented a potion for trial testing, and I hadn't planned on one this year-"

"Please, sir," Hermione interrupted, then blushed as Severus gave her a look.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" he said smoothly, annoyed at the interruption.

"I've been thinking of a potion for submission, sir," Hermione said quickly.

"You have?"

"Yes, sir."

"Let me hear it," Severus said, figuring he'd humor the girl before telling her no.

Hermione sat up straighter in her chair, smooting her robes over her lap.

"Well, sir, I was thinking about Memory Charms and how they're used, and how really strong Memory Charms, while effective at the time of application, tend to have aftereffects, namely enormous absentmindedness, forgetfulness, even clumsiness, as evidenced primarily in Neville Longbottom, who, as I'm sure you know, underwent large and intense memory modifications after witnessing what happened to his parents." Hermione was perched on the very edge of her seat and paused here only for a breath.

"And you propose an alternative?" Severus asked, taking advantage of the small pause.

"Yes, sir, a potion that will have the same immediate effect as a powerful Memory Charm, but that won't have the _lasting_ effect of one."

"How do you intend to test this potion? The long term effects of Memory Charms are just that, long term." Severus was intrigued despite himself and also found himself positioned on the very edge of his chair.

"That's right, but I've also noticed that even small Memory Charms tend to affect memory and the like for days afterward."

Severus stared at her a moment. "I assume these observations were made recently?"

Hermione blushed again, confirming his suspicions that she had been placing Memory Charms on her friends, and also reaffirming just how bright and determined Hermione was, as she was able to perform Memory Charms at her age without having actually been taught the charm, though he remembered rumors of a Protean Charm in her fifth year.

"And you think a successful version of this potion can be completed by the end of the convention?" Severus continued.

"When's that?"

"The last day for potion trials is January first, the last day of the convention," Severus answered, trying very hard not to say something snotty. Hermione looked doubtful for a split second, but then nodded.

"Yes. I think it can be done."

"Very well then." Severus glanced at the small datebook on his desk. "Today is October 12. The convention begins a week before Christmas. I assume you can handle spending Christmas away from your family?"

"Of course," Hermione answered, though she didn't look as certain as she sounded.

"The convention ends January first, as I said. We will return to Hogwarts on January second."

Hermione nodded.

"You and I will both be making a good deal of sacrifices, Miss Granger. I would like for you to be down here every night, straight after dinner, to work on this potion. However, I cannot ask you to abandon your school work completely. Therefore, you will be allowed into my lab during your breaks. I have set it up with your other professors to allow you a little more time in handing in your assignments, although I have promised them no more than two days lateness. I don't expect you to make me a liar."

"Of course not, sir." Hermione looked as though she longed to take notes on everything Severus was saying.

"You will stay with me in the lab until nine every night. I trust this leaves you enough time for school work."

Hermione nodded.

"Okay, well, I think that's enough for tonight. I would like for you to come here tomorrow night, straight after dinner. I trust you've made notes on this potion?"

Hermione nodded as she stood.

"Alright, I'd like to see those."

"Okay, I'll bring them."

Severus stood up and opened the office door.

"See you tomorrow, then."

Hermione nodded again, smiling at him as she left the room.

-----

After breakfast the next morning, Hermione, Harry, and Ron left the castle for Hagrid's cabin.

"So you're really doing this thing with Snape?" Ron asked, his dislike of the idea evident in his voice.

"Yes," Hermione said, glancing over at him. "So?"

"How can you stand to work with that git?"

"He's not a _git_, Ron," Hermione said irritably, brushing her hair from her face. "You just don't choose to understand him."

"Oh, what, and you do?" Ron snapped.

"No, but I'm trying, at least," Hermione shot back, glaring at Ron.

"Give it a rest, you two," Harry said wearily, staring up at the sky. "Your bickering is getting old."

"Sorry, Harry," Hermione and Ron muttered as Hagrid's hut came into view, Hagrid himself tending to his pumpkin patch.

"Hey, Hagrid!" Harry called. Hagrid stood and turned, waving to the trio.

"'bout time yeh came ter see me. It's been a month!"

"Sorry, Hagrid," Harry said as they followed Hagrid into the cabin.

"Yeah, we've been busy," Hermione added.

"Oh, yeah, I heard 'bout you workin' with Professor Snape, there, Hermione. Good on you!"

"Thank you, Hagrid," Hermione said, shooting Ron a nasty look. He returned it, then looked away.

A rustling sound from the corner of the cabin made the trio all look and Hermione gasped.

"Hagrid... is that a _bird_?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, yeh," Hagrid answered, following Hermione's gaze. His voice carried it's usual tone of pride and Hermione glanced warily at him.

"It's gorgeous, Hagrid, but..."

"Hagrid, you didn't create another species, did you?" Ron asked.

A flush crept into Hagrid's face and Hermione groaned inwardly.

"So what was it this time?" Harry asked, coming to stand beside Hermione.

"A Fwooper and a Jobberknoll."

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other.

"Does it, er, sing, Hagrid?" Hermione asked carefully.

"Nope. Silent as the grave."

"Wait until it dies," Hermione muttered, stooping to pick up one brightly colored feather.

-----

That night, Hermione watched as Severus reviewed her notes.

"This is as far as you've gotten?" he asked, glancing up at her.

"Well, yes. I haven't had the time or means to make the potion, or anyone to test it on."

Severus nodded. "Some of these ingredients seem possible. I don't have them all, so we'll have to do a little plant gathering, and buying in Diagon Alley and asundry other places, but I do think we can pull this off."

"Well, good. I'm glad you think so," Hermione said. Severus raised an eyebrow at her, and then stood.

"Come with me and I'll show you the laboratory and the ingredient room."

Hermione stood as well and watched as Severus opened a door just past the bookshelf on the right hand wall, then followed him down a long flight of stairs, at the end of which was a large room, with at least three large cauldrons situated on two long counters, hung over naked burners.

Another counter against the wall held several smaller cauldrons, stacked one on top of the other, alongside wooden racks containing vials of varying sizes.

"That," Severus said, pointing to a door situated just after the counter, "is the supply closet. Beakers, more cauldrons, other various things." He walked forward, to the end of the lab, and opened another door.

"Ingredients. Fully stocked right now, but no doubt we'll need to get more before long."

Hermione had just long enough to peer into the room and marvel at the scale of the professor's stores before he ushered her back out and closed the door.

As they walked to the stairs to leave, Hermione noticed yet another door, almost hidden unless you were looking at it from the right angle, as she was now.

"Where does that door go?" she asked, pointing.

"My chambers," Severus answered after a momentary pause. "But you have no reason to be in there, and so you don't need to worry about it."

Hermione fell silent, fighting the urge to say she had no desire whatsoever to be in his room, which was a half lie anyway, as she figured he had volumes upon volumes of fascinating references, references she could probably spend hours sorting through.

"You'll notice," Severus was saying as they climbed the stairs, "the door to this lab has no password, just a key, which you will be given a copy of. The lock is unpickable, designed and installed by one of Gringott's top vault makers. The door to my office, however, is protected by numerous wards and charms, which is why you must _always_ tell me when you're using the lab so that all you need is the password to enter."

"What'll happen otherwise?" Hermione asked.

"Something very unpleasant," Severus replied demurely, stepping aside to allow Hermione into the office first. Hermione's mind pondered what could possibly happen. She wondered how far he'd go to protect his office and his privacy.

Severus glanced down at Hermione's notes, which he'd left on the desk.

"If there's anything you'd like to add, go ahead," Hermione said, taking her seat in front of the desk.

"Thank you, Miss Granger," Severus said sardonically, glancing up at her. Hermione blushed, though she felt a small swell of irritation and a very strong desire to rip her notes from his hands.

"How much do you know about Lily of the Valley?" Severus asked, finally taking his seat.

"Enough to know that it could work," Hermione answered, sitting back in her seat and crossing her legs.

"It's a very volatile plant, Miss Granger," Severus continued patronizingly.

"I realize that, but if administered correctly-"

"It is not meant for human ingestion. Any reaction could be devastating, even fatal."

"I know that, sir," Hermione countered, leaning forward in her seat slightly, "but if that substance were to be used, it would not be ingested. Rather, injected."

"Directly into the blood stream?" Severus said, his eyebrows inching up.

"It would actually work faster that way."

"In aiding memory loss, or killing the subject?" Severus said scornfully.

Hermione frowned. She knew the professor was trying to intimidate her, and while that may work in class, it sure as hell wasn't going to now. This meant far too much to her for her to back down.

"The odds of death are small, if the substance is used correctly."

"You are trying to mix magic and science together, Miss Granger, and while potion making _is_ a science, it is not a _medical_ science, which is what you're attempting."

"It is a simple injection-"

"Most Aurors are not medically trained-"

"What kind of medical training does it take to find a vein?" Hermione finally cried, exasperated. "The only training they need is how fast or slow to inject the potion."

"Miss Granger," Severus began softly, but firmly, "even if you could train every Ministry official to use this method, you would be very hard pressed to then find a witch or wizard who would let you inject _anything_ into their blood."

"But-"

"And so," Severus continued, raising his voice very slightly, "we will not use this plant. At all." He picked up his quill and made an angry slash through the ingredient.

"But, sir," Hermione began again.

"Miss Granger, that is the end of it. We will not discuss it further." Severus glanced at the clock in the corner. "And I think it is time for you to head back to your room. I will see you tomorrow night, after dinner."

Hermione sat a moment longer, holding back a tirade of horrible things to say to the professor, but finally she stood, having said nothing.

"Good night then, professor," she murmured as she turned to leave. Severus nodded briefly at her, his quill scratching against the parchment as he made notes on her notes. It was all Hermione could do not to slam his office door.

-----

Her anger was still simmering by the time Sunday night came, lessened only by the fact that she didn't see Professor Snape all day, not even at dinner.

After parting from Ron and Harry at the staircase, she headed for the dungeons, staying clear of the Slytherins heading for their common room.

Hermione quietly entered the potions classroom and headed for the back of the room, to where the door to Professor Snape's office lay inside a small foyer-like room. She used her password, assuming the professor was already in the lab, and reached for the door handle.

Before she grasped it, though, a great shock flooded through her body, as though her veins had just become little rivers for electricity to run freely through. She was lifted into the air and thrown hard against the wall just behind her, down which she half slid, half fell to land in a heap on the floor.

She lay still a moment, trying to ascertain if she was still alive.

Finally, she sat up, very slowly, and slumped against the wall for a moment, checking herself over for injuries. Hesitantly she touched her hair and then exhaled gratefully: it wasn't a giant ball of frizz.

Moving from relieved to irritated, Hermione stood and stared at the office door for a minute, then glanced at her watch. She'd give him ten minutes; if he hadn't showed up by then, she'd leave.

She worked on calming her still twitchy hands while she waited, and at eight minutes, she pulled a spare bit of parchment and a quill from her bag and at nine minutes she began her note to the professor.

When the ten minutes was up, Hermione slid off her stool and was approaching the desk when the office door opened and a second later Professor Snape himself stepped into the classroom. Hermione crumpled the note in her hand and shoved it and the quill into her pocket.

"Have you been waiting long?" he asked, almost cordially.

"About fifteen minutes," Hermione answered, staring at the professor. He seemed different somehow. "I was about to leave," she finished.

"I apologize, Miss Granger. There is still plenty of time to work tonight."

"If you like," Hermione said slowly. Severus nodded once and turned, heading back into his office. Hermione followed, eyeing him shrewdly. He was limping, if only slightly.

"Are you alright, sir?" she asked, unable to stop herself.

"I'm fine, Miss Granger." Professor Snape turned towards her, holding open the door to the lab. "After you."

Still feeling disconcerted, Hermione decided to say no more and descended the stairs, hearing the professor's footsteps close behind her.

-----

Hermione voiced her concerns about Professor Snape to Harry and Ron the next morning. Harry, at least, feigned a very minimal amount of concern while Ron snorted derisively, glancing up at the staff table where the man of the moment was seated, eating nothing and deep in what appeared to be an intense conversation with the headmaster.

"Humanitarianism. Try it sometime," Hermione said acidly, glaring at Ron. He tried to glare back, but seemed caught up in trying to wrap his mind around the word.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione turned to Harry.

"Well, Hermione, he is doing the whole double-agent, spy thing. I'm sure Voldemort's testing his loyalties. Oh, will you cool it?" Harry tossed his orange rind at Ron, who had winced horribly at Voldemort's name. Ron scowled and plucked the orange peel from where it had landed on his shoulder, dropping it to his plate.

I don't think Voldemort will kill him, Hermione. At least not anytime soon."

"Oh, well, that's comforting. Shouldn't he be coming up with more constructive uses of his time? Like find another way to try and kill you?"

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry said, laughing slightly.

"Well, it's his primary goal. He's supposed to be working towards it."

"Why don't you just go give him a pep talk then, Hermione?" Harry said, his smile fading.

"Oh, Harry, that's not what I mean. I don't want you to die. I don't want Voldemort to kill you. But I just don't understand all this waiting. We all know what he wants to do, so he should just come out and do it. Not saying he'll succeed, but just get it over with."

Harry shrugged. "I'm not keen on fighting to the death just yet, but that's me."

Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm digging myself a hole. I'll shut up now."

"It's alright. C'mon," Harry said, standing and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "We can get our seats in Transfiguration if we leave now."

Hermione and Ron nodded and stood as well, grabbing their bags and following Harry from the hall to McGonagall's classroom.

Hermione finished Transfiguring her raccoon before everyone else and still had time to brood about Professor Snape's condition. She thought about asking Professor McGonagall if she could leave early to go to the lab, but the thought of entering the potions classroom unannounced and asking to use the lab wasn't too appealing, and so she sat and watched everyone else, mildly pleased that most of the class was getting the spell down. She saved Ron from turning his raccoon inside out and corrected Harry's technique after his lamp ended up with bands around it and a tail where the cord should be.

Next was Charms, and after Hermione had successfully performed the charm for Professor Flitwick, he told her that Professor Snape wanted to see her.

Surprised, but also relieved, Hermione gathered her things and headed down to the dungeons.

Slowly, carefully, she opened the classroom door and peered inside. It was empty, so she figured he had planning this period.

"Professor Snape?" she called, announcing her arrival so as not to go through what had happened the previous night.

"Come in, Miss Granger," his voice called back from inside the office.

Hermione went in, looking at the seated professor.

"You wanted to see me?"

Professor Snape looked up from his grading.

"I thought you might want to work on the potion. I knew McGonagall would rather sit on a chair full of tacks than let you leave early, but Flitwick was more than agreeable. You may leave your things up here and work until lunch."

"But what about your class?" Hermione asked as she set her bag on the floor.

"Every class you spend in the lab will count as your grade for the day. You need not worry, Miss Granger."

"Thank you, sir." Hermione walked around the desk and paused before she opened the door to the lab.

"How's your leg, sir?" she asked hesitantly.

"My leg, Miss Granger?" The quill stopped moving, but the professor kept his back to her.

"You were limping last night."

"I am fine, Miss Granger." The quill began moving again and Hermione sighed softly, pushing open the door and heading down the stairs to the lab.

Her worries about Professor Snape and Harry and Voldemort disappeared as she began to work, and she got so involved that she didn't notice Professor Snape standing at the foot of the stairs, watching her, until she looked up from the simmering cauldron and jumped, startled.

The professor took in her disheveled state: the sleeves of her shirt rolled up, her tie on top of a black heap in the corner that was her robes, and a pencil in her hand, one behind her ear, and another in her hair.

"May I ask, Miss Granger, why you're using Muggle materials?" he asked, glancing at the open notebook in front of her.

"I find them more efficient, sir."

"Yes, " Severus murmured, approaching the table. "What have you got?"

"I've almost got a potion," Hermione said, setting her pencil down and pointing at the cauldron in front of her. Severus peered at the murky green liquid and raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm," was all he said, however, giving Hermione a quick nod.

"Sir, I was wondering... how do we intend to test these potions?"

"House elves."

Hermione looked scandilized. "House elves? But-"

"They work for this school, Miss Granger," Severus said, knowing where she stood on the elves. "It stands, therefore, that this is included in the job. And I won't hear another word about it," Severus added as Hermione opened her mouth to speak. She remained silent, choosing instead to look disgruntled.

"You may go on to lunch, Miss Granger," Severus said, peering again at the softly simmering cauldron.

"Okay, just-"

There was a muffled popping sound and a cloud of steam issued from the cauldron.

"There. It's done. How many vials should we make?"

"Three," Severus answered, backing away from the cauldron. "Just to be safe."

Hermioned nodded and Summoned three vials to her, using a dropper to fill each one.

"Yes, well, I suppose we can test these tonight. Good day, Miss Granger."

Hermione nodded, frowning slightly as she gathered her things and made her way up the stairs and out of the lab.

Professor Snape wasn't at dinner again that night and Hermione, rather than risk another shock, said the password at the office door and then chucked a wadded up bit of parchment at it.

It bounced off the door, unharmed, and Hermione, satisfied, picked it up and entered the office.

She pulled the key to the lab door from inside her robes, where it hung from a chain around her neck, just as her Time Turner had in her third year. It worked then, no reason to think it wouldn't now.

Hermione hurried down the stairs and deposited her robes and bag in their usual corner, rolling up her sleeves. One day, she'd think to change her clothes before coming down here.

She waited fifteen minutes, and when he still didn't show up, Hermione began work on another breed of potion, thinking it would be wrong to test the first potion without the professor there.

She worked for a while, unaware of anything but her own thoughts until the potion was simmering and Hermione became aware of a clock chiming.

"Nine o'clock?" she said, glancing up sharply. She'd been working for three hours straight, and the professor still hadn't shown up.

The timer went off on the potion and Hermione Summoned three vials, preparing to fill each with the blue potion.

She was on the last one when a loud crash sounded from behind the door leading to Professor Snape's chambers.

Hermione jumped so badly that the vial slipped from her hand and shattered on the stone floor, the blue potion spreading, reminding Hermione of something she'd seen in a movie once.

Flustered, Hermione repaired the vial and cleaned up the potion.

Another sound, a thud, came from behind the door, and Hermione absently set the vial down on the table top, walking around it towards the door.

There was another thud and a crash, but as Hermione raised her hand to knock on the door, it flew open, startling her.

"Miss Granger?" Professor Snape stared at her, clearly unprepared for her presence.

"Sir?" Hermione stared at the professor. Something was definitely wrong with him tonight.

"I thought we agreed that you would leave here at nine every night."

"I just finished a potion, but, sir-"

"Finish up and then go," the professor said harshly. He was holding himself differently, almost as though he were in a great deal of pain.

"But, sir, you're hurt," Hermione began, taking a step forward.

"I said _go_."

Hermione jumped as the door slammed in her face, and she stared at it a moment before returning to the table and refilling the the repaired vial and gathering her things, glancing at the door as she did, wondering about Professor Snape and how she could find out just what was going on.


	3. One night

A/N: Chapter 3, for your reading pleasure. Reviews are always nice :)

-----

Two more weeks passed. Hermione wasn't any closer to finding out what was going on with the professor, and as partners, they didn't seem much closer to developing a working potion.

Hermione was so wrapped up in the potion she had almost let her schoolwork fall by the wayside and so she sat, late Saturday night after her session with Professor Snape, finishing up a huge chunk of her work.

One of the many upsides of being Head Girl was she had her own room, which meant lots of quiet time to study and do her homework, only interrupted by the all too eager house elves, who always knew she was up and constantly barraged her with offers to bring her food or drink.

She finally told them she would call if she needed anything and they left her alone. She suspected they were trying to get ahead in the running to be test elves.

But even after the house elves left her alone, she was still distracted. Her mind kept going back to Professor Snape. His behavior continued to get stranger and he hardly ever attended their nightly sessions. When he was actually in attendance, he was either irritable or extremely distant, and always seemed to be favoring different parts of his body.

However, Hermione could no sooner ask him what was wrong than she could ask him to give her an A for the year and exempt her from final exams.

Frowning, Hermione crossed out a sentence on her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay, having already written it once, and wrote the correct sentence.

She set her quill down and glanced up at the clock. Just past two a.m.

Standing and stretching, Hermione figured the rest of the essay could wait until morning and she went to bed, still wondering about the professor.

She worked on the rest of her homework most of Sunday, eating lunch in her room, but finished before dinner. Ron and Harry feigned surprise when she sat with them in the Great Hall, and she just rolled her eyes.

"Where were you all day?" Harry asked, pouring pumpkin juice into their glasses.

"In my room, doing homework," Hermione answered, smiling her thanks as she took her glass from Harry.

"You're not falling behind, are you?" Harry looked worried, but Hermione waved him away.

"It's fine. Don't worry." Hermione looked down at her plate and blinked, startled, at the newspaper clipping.

"What's this?" she asked, looking up at Ron.

"Mum sent it. She and Dad get the local Muggle newspapers now, to keep up with any mysterious goings-on." He pointed to the article and Hermione looked at it again.

"'Factory closes after disappearances'," Hermione read aloud. "'The Sticky Fingers Glue Factory' closed officially Monday after the unexplained disappearances of the owner and general manager.

"One day, they were just gone," said Tom Burnett, a foreman whose job has been with the factory for 25 years, and the factory's most senior employee. "We tried to keep it running, if only to fill the remaining orders, but then Monday morning, a man with hair so blonde it was white, and a walking stick, came in and told us to shut the machines off and go home. He said the factory was closed." Burnett did not get the man's name, but he admits he was more worried about his job. "I worked there for 25 years. I'm an old man now, who'll hire me?"'"

"Lucius Malfoy," Hermione murmured, setting the clipping down again.

"We got that much," Ron said, pointing at the picture of the factory. "D'ya think You-Know-Who's using it?"

"Probably. It looks rather isolated, plus no one will be by, as it's closed. I also have no doubt that Voldemort was behind the disappearances." Hermione handed the article back to Ron and began to load her plate with food.

"What do you think it means?" Harry asked, doing the same. "Of all the buildings, why a factory?"

Hermione paused, her hand on the spoon handle for the peas; she looked slightly uneasy now.

"I don't know, but it won't be good." She glanced over at Ron. "What does your dad say about it?"

Ron shrugged, moving his food around on his plate. "Dunno. He's so busy lately, now that he's been promoted to head of Magical Law Enforcement. There's been so many tips and leads; Mum says he's hardly ever home anymore."

"Oh," Hermione said softly. She liked to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley together, and hoped the relationship would withstand this war.

She glanced at Ron and could tell he was thinking the same thing.

-----

Later that night, as Hermione was reviving a house elf after he'd collapsed from drinking the latest sample potion, she wondered if Professor Snape knew anything about the factory.

He didn't seem any different, though, as he regarded the fallen elf.

"Well, we're on the right part of the body, at least," he muttered as the elf reached up and felt the small horns protruding from his forehead. His eyes widened, something Hermione wouldn't have thought possible for the already large eyed elf, and he looked fearfully at Professor Snape. The professor made the elf drink a clear blue liquid and sent him away, telling him the horns would be gone by morning.

"What is that stuff anyway?" Hermione asked, labeling their recent sample with the effects it had caused.

"Something of my own invention. Reverses the effect of almost any potion."

"Why haven't you told anyone at the convention about it?"

A derisive grunt was the response and Hermione scowled as the professor took the freshly labeled vial and carried it to a cabinet on the far wall that was already stocked full of their other sample potions, all neatly labeled with Hermione's handwriting, with effects ranging from crossed eyes and color changes, to new appendages, such as the horns. Some of them had affected memory, but the side effects were too severe. And they couldn't dare test on humans yet. The risk was still too great.

Hermione and the professor rarely talked on these nights together. At least nothing related to anything other than the potion. Hermione kind of wished they would talk, especially when there was nothing to do but wait for a potion to simmer, but Professor Snape always seemed preoccupied and couldn't have seemed less interested in talking to anyone, let alone Hermione.

And so they sat, for nights on end, the silence deafening, Hermione feeling as though she might explode at any moment.

-----

That Saturday, Hermione say neither hide nor hair of Professor Snape at any of the meals and so spent much of the day with Harry and Ron, catching up on her schoolwork.

The three of them could be found an hour before dinner, Harry ad Ron playing Wizard Chess and Hermione watching, as she usually preferred.

"You going to work with Snape tonight?" Ron asked, concentrating on the chess board.

"Every night, Ron. We've established this," Hermione answered, also staring at the board. Harry smirked and prodded one of his pieces forward, eliciting a deeper frown from Ron.

"Do you _like_ working with him?" Ron asked, moving one of his own pieces forward and nodding, pleased, as it pummeled one of Harry's.

Hermione pondered the question a moment.

"Yeah, I suppose I do. Why does it matter anyway?"

Ron scowled as he looked at Hermione. "It's the principle of the thing. Snape is not our friend."

"Oh, for heaven's _sake_, Ron, grow up!" Hermione snapped, pushing herself to her feet and storming from the common room; a group of first years parted to let her pass, watching warily as she climbed through the portrait hole.

Harry, having also watched Hermione's exit, turned to look at Ron, who, feeling Harry's eyes on him, looked up.

"What?"

"She's got a point, Ron," Harry said, making a move.

"Whose side are you on?" Ron muttered, making his own move, strategy lost.

"Last I checked, we were all on the same side. You know, friends?" Harry made another move. "Check."

Ron's scowl deepened as he gazed intently at the board, avoiding Harry's eyes.

"Ron, she's not your girlfriend and she's not your sister. You have zero say in what she does and with whom she does it. I suggest you learn to deal with it. Checkmate."

Ron grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. Harry sighed, rolling his eyes.

-----

As Hermione and Severus worked that night, Hermione noticed the professor seemed very distracted, more so than usual, clenching his left forearm with his right hand.

It was a little after 8:00 when his left hand twitched convulsively and Hermione heard him gasp almost inaudibly.

"Miss Granger, why don't we call it a night?" he said, taking a jar from Hermione.

"But, we have an hour still, sir," she said, not quite comprehending the connection between his concentration on his arm and his desire to end the session early.

"I'll finish the potion, Miss Granger. You may go."

"But, sir," Hermione began, unwilling to just leave her work unfinished.

"Please, Miss Granger," Severus said shortly, closing his eyes briefly and pointing up the stairs.

"O-okay," Hermione murmured, walking to the wall and picking up her bag. It wasn't until she was all the way back in the professor's office that she realized why his arm was paining him and she stared at the door to the lab for a moment before she finally left.

All was forgotten the next day as Hermione sat in her room, finishing her homework to turn in the next day.

She was in the middle of a particularly difficult rune translation when she heard the portrait that guarded her room calling to her.

"Yes?" she called back.

"Your red-headed friend is here, dear."

"Male or female?" Hermione stopped writing a moment, frowning.

"Female, dear."

"Let her in." Hermione sighed, relieved, and finished her sentence as Ginny Weasley entered the room.

"I hear you and my dear, sweet, tactless brother got into it again."

"Hi to you, too," Hermione said, laughing slightly as Ginny plopped down onto the couch.

"Hi," Ginny said brightly, waggling her fingers. Hermione laughed and turned back to her work.

"So, what'd he do this time?"

"Oh, the usual. Professor Snape's a git and I shouldn't enjoy working with him."

"_Do_ you enjoy working with him?"

"Well, sure," Hermione answered, shrugging.

"Can I have some of this?"

Hermione glanced over at Ginny, who was standing in front of a small snack tray a house elf had brought in an hour ago.

"Yeah, sure."

Ginny made herself a small plate and pulled a chair up next to Hermione.

"So, you like working with everyone's favorite potions professor."

"Yes, I do. Is there a problem with that?" Hermione said irritably.

"No," Ginny said, shrugging as she bit into a piece of cheese. Hermione sighed, setting down her quill and pushing her hair back.

"Is it wrong to worry about it?" she asked, looking up at Ginny, who frowned slightly.

"Who, Professor Snape?"

Hermione nodded and Ginny tucked her leg beneath her.

"Why are you worried about him?"

"Voldemort."

"Oh yes, the whole double agent spy deal." Ginny nodded and picked the leaves off the top of a strawberry.

"Yes, oh wise one?" Hermione grinned slightly, watching Ginny ponder the berry.

"I was just thinking... _why_ are you worried exactly? It's not like he's never done this before."

Hermione shrugged and set about finishing her rune translation.

"Even though we hardly ever talk, I can't help but care about him. You spend so much time with someone on a project like this, you develop a connection. I've seen him when he comes back from Voldemort's summons and he's always in pain and I just... I feel like I should know what goes on when he goes there." Hermione looked up at Ginny, who nodded.

"I understand. I do. Have you tried asking him?"

Hermione snorted. "Yeah, he either ignores me or tells me off."

"Interesting relationship you two have."

"Isn't it though?"

Ginny smiled and bit into a cracker.

-----

"What happened last night?" Hermione asked later, at the session.

"Sorry?" Severus said, frowning slightly as he turned to look at Hermione.

"Last night. Why did you end the session early?"

"I don't believe that's relevant to the task at hand, Miss Granger."

"Isn't relevant?" Hermione stared at the professor, refusing to back down this time. "I'm sorry, sir, but you are gone so often, and as much as I enjoy working on this project, I can't do it alone all the time. All I want to know is why you're gone all the time, especially recently." Hermione sighed, staring up at the professor.

"Miss Granger, you are my student and my assistant. Our relationship goes no further than that, and you are not, therefore, entitled to know _anything_ about my personal time."

Professor Snape said this without yelling, but anger simmered beneath the falsely calm exterior.

"Fine." Hermione set the jar she was holding down on the table with a loud thud and stormed over to the wall, picking up her bag and starting up the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"Seeing as how this isn't all that important, I've got homework to finish. I'll see you tomorrow."

Severus stared after Hermione as she left, frowning as she slammed the door behind her.

Frustrated, he slammed the jar in his hand against the floor and stormed into his chambers.

The girl was right, he supposed, but he couldn't very well tell her that Voldemort liked to torture him every time he was summoned.

He didn't doubt she knew what he was doing, what was going on, but actually coming out and saying it was another story.

He wouldn't tell her, because she had no reason to really know. And come January first, she'd have no reason to even worry about anything anymore.

But when Voldemort summoned him the following Thursday night, he suddenly realized that Hermione had every reason to worry.

All of Friday he watched her, at meals and during class, wondering if he should tell her before calling off the project. He knew she'd be angry with him and demand to know why, but he reserved every right not to tell her, if for her own safety.

For reasons he couldn't explain even to himself, he didn't end the project Friday night but rather waited until Saturday night. A voice in his head told him that he didn't want to end these nights with Hermione, but he dismissed the thought rather quickly.

He waited in the lab on Saturday night, busying himself with reorganizing and straightening up the ingredient cabinet, even though it didn't need it, until he heard the lab door open and close and Hermione's familiar footsteps on the stairs.

"Miss Granger, I'm afraid I have some bad news," Severus began.

"Oh?" Hermione said, pausing on the third step from the bottom.

"I'm canceling our place at the convention. It's off."

Hermione stared at him a moment, her hand growing tighter on the banister.

"What do you mean?" she asked finally, descending the final steps and dropping her bag to the floor.

"We're not going anymore," Severus responded coolly.

"Why?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.

"That's not any of your concern."

"Like hell it isn't!" Hermione cried. "I have spent every night down here for the past month, working myself almost to exhaustion sometimes, and you're telling me it was for _nothing_?"

"I must ask you to calm down, Miss Granger," Severus said, his arms falling to his sides.

"I will not. You can't just _cancel_ something this time consuming without telling me why!" Hermione stared at Severus a moment. "I have not spent my weekends up to my ears in homework just to get to this point and _quit_."

"I understand you're upset, Miss Granger, but the matter is closed." Severus began to move to his chambers, hoping to signal to Hermione that the conversation was over.

Hermione, on the other hand, wasn't that ready to give up yet.

"No, it's not. I will not leave until you tell my why I apparently just wasted almost two months of my life planning and working on this project. I can stay here all night, so I suggest you tell me now."

Severus just shook his head and continued on to his chambers.

"Damn it!" Hermione exclaimed, stepping in the professor's path. He stopped short and stared down at her, his eyes glittering in a way that would have told most students to back off. Unfortunately for Severus, Hermione was not like other students.

"Is it Voldemort?" she asked bluntly, so much so that he almost flinched. "I know where you've been all these nights, when you come down here hurt. So is it him? Is it Voldemort?"

"You shouldn't use his name so freely," Severus said quietly.

"What is he, Beetlejuice?" Hermione scoffed. "Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort."

"Do you really want to know why, Miss Granger?" Severus finally said, his voice rising slightly.

"I'm not hounding you for my health," Hermione answered, her confidence shaken only slightly.

"It is... Voldemort. But it's got nothing to do with me and everything to do with you, and, as always, Potter."

"What do you mean?" Hermione didn't realize until this moment that Severus had backed her up against the wall and she actually felt a little intimidated.

"He knows you're working with me. That we're relatively close, and he knows that you're Potter's friend. It's too great an opportunity for him to hurt you and in turn hurt Potter."

"It's nice that you're concerned, but I really don't see the harm in just finishing the potion," Hermione said, moving away from the wall. Severus put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her back into the wall.

"It's not just my concern, Miss Granger. It's... a number of things."

"How will Voldemort get me here? Unless you hand me over to him or something."

Severus remained silent and Hermione stared at him a moment, realization dawning. She opened her mouth to express her outrage but the words died in her throat almost as suddenly as if Severus had hit her. But he hadn't. It was much different than that.

He had kissed her, pressing her to the wall. It lingered, more so by Severus's volition than Hermione's and when he pulled away, he immediately stepped back, releasing Hermione's shoulders.

"I'm... uh..." Even though he knew it was wrong, he was feeling such a strong physical, moreover a strong _sexual_, attraction to Hermione that he had to take another step back.

She stared at him, her expression completely unreadable, her emotion revealed only by the heaving of her chest.

"Sorry," Severus finally said, and to his great confusion, Hermione shook her head.

"No," she whispered, stepping forward and pulling Severus down to her by the front of his robes, pressing her lips to his this time, the kiss deep and searing and reciprocated by both.

Severus pushed Hermione into the wall again, his body pressing against hers, their kisses becoming quicker and hungrier. They both knew what they wanted, something Hermione had never had and something Severus hadn't had in a very long time, and they were both eager to get it.

Hermione pushed Severus's robes from his shoulders, feeling a slight chill on her legs as it hit the floor and blew the cool air out.

They stopped kissing long enough for Severus to get the door to his chambers open and they stumbled over the threshold, his hands working on the buttons of her shirt. She helped him slide it from her torso, her lips quickly finding his again.

Hermione never would've thought she could've wanted anything so badly in her life, especially something she'd never experienced before, but as she felt Severus's hands moving to her skirt, she knew that anything she'd ever felt excited about before paled in comparison to this moment, this feeling.

Severus's hands moved past the waistband of Hermione's skirt as she set about unbuttoning his shirt.

She gasped, pausing momentarily, as his fingers brushed the tops of her thighs. He paused too, noticing the hitch in Hermione's breath.

"Don't stop," she whispered, startled by how low her voice sounded. She glanced up and was again surprised, this time by what she saw in Severus's eyes. Not his usual glittering malevolence, but something very uncharacteristic, something Hermione had never seen in anyone's eyes before, so she didn't have a name for it, but she knew it was good and she knew she liked it.

"Don't stop," she said again, untucking his shirt and pushing it off him.

She felt his fingers hook over the waistband of her underwear, felt him begin to pull them down. Her breath became shallow, her pulse quickening, and she dug her fingernails into his shoulders, the tingling in her stomach intensifying.

Severus came back up and their lips met again in a deep kiss. Hermione realized she was moving backward now, towards the bed, and then they were on it, together, and time seemed to speed up. Remaining clothes were shed and he was over her and on her and in her.

It started slow and deliberate, but before long it was fast and angry and almost rough, as though, unconsciously, they knew it was wrong and blamed one another for what was happening, but not daring to stop.

Emotions took over and even though it hurt, Hermione never said no, never slowed down, never cried out, but absorbed every feeling and every sensation, deriving not so much pleasure from the experience, but just the sheer thrill.

And then, all too soon, it was over and Severus had disappeared into the bathroom and Hermione was gathering her clothes and dressing, wincing slightly with every step she took.

After she dressed, she stood in the middle of the room, feeling slightly lost.

Finally she decided to just leave through the lab, stepping over Severus's discarded robes and picking up her bag. She walked slowly up the stairs, trying to ignore the dull soreness in the lower half of her body, specifically between her legs.

The castle was dark; Hermione didn't even know what time it was and she didn't care. Her feet carried her to her room, as though she were on autopilot, and she mumbled the password, dropping her bag to the floor and heading for the bathroom.

She took a bath, sitting in the water, lost inside her head, until the water turned cold. She wished her thoughts had someplace to actually go, but her mind was suddenly blank, as though she could no longer think of anything at all. Feeling utterly wasted and drained, Hermione stood up from the tub and dried off, dressing for bed. But she realized she couldn't sleep. She was tired, but wide awake, her mind forming not coherent thoughts, but questions, as she sat on the couch, pulling her legs to her chest and staring at the pattern in the carpet.

Why wasn't she crying? There was no reason. Why wasn't she angry? Who should she be angry with? Why didn't she feel anything? Well, she didn't know the answer to that. And then the big question loomed in her head. Why had she _let_ it happen? Why hadn't she said no, or told him to stop, or even told herself to stop? What did that say about her?

Hermione reached over and took a pillow in her hands, hugging it tightly to her chest as she stared at the floor, wishing it could answer her questions.

-----

A/N: Meh. Be gentle. It's been a while since I've written something like that... heh


	4. Giving in

A/N: This took me forever to type up, because I hated the original chapter, and most of it had to be changed or rewritten entirely. Thanks to my lovely beta, Rachel, for making sure I didn't do anything stupid. And for the curious, Gimpy the house-elf is sort of an inside joke between Rachel and me; Gimpy has her own LJ, but since LJ is down at the moment, I'll give the link later.

* * *

Hermione stayed in her room all day Sunday, not leaving once, even for meals. The only time she got out of bed was to tell the portrait guarding the entrance to her room to send anyone who came by away, even Ginny.

The portrait, one of a kindly woman who appeared to be in her sixties, nodded in compliance, though she did ask Hermione what was wrong.

"I'm fine, just a little under the weather."

"Alright, dear." The woman still looked concerned and so Hermione gave her the tiniest of smiles and then walked back into her room, the portrait swinging shut behind her.

Hermione climbed back into bed, a brief moment of panic edging into her mind as she wondered if there were any portraits in Professor Snape's chambers. She decided there probably weren't, otherwise the details of the previous night would've cycled throughout the castle by now, the way the portraits gossiped; she probably wouldn't even be holed up in her room, if everyone knew, but up in Dumbledore's office... a series of horrifyingly embarrassing scenarios played in Hermione's head, and she burrowed deeper under the covers, staring at the wall in front of her.

She was still sore, and couldn't help but feel a small bit of anger about this. But emotionally, this was all she seemed to be feeling. She was surprised to discover how indifferent her attitude was about what had happened the night before. It hadn't been what she expected, not for her first time, but somehow, she wasn't disappointed.

And yet, here she was, hiding in her room, avoiding everyone, even her friends. And why? She knew the answer to that, and didn't even have to ask the carpet. She was ashamed of herself, and terrified that somehow, just by looking at her, they'd know what she had done, and shun her, leave her alone and confused. Tears pricked the corners of Hermione's eyes, her throat growing tighter, as she imagined her closest friends abandoning her, and she covered her head with the covers, finally allowing herself to cry.

Monday morning came after a night of tossing and turning, and Hermione knew, as exhausted as she was, she couldn't hide anymore. She made it through breakfast and the first three classes of the day, deferring Ron and Harry's questions and explaining her absence the day before to homework and her slight limp to a bad fall.

Potions was just before lunch and Hermione found herself almost completely unable to concentrate, scraping through the class with a sample that, at best, might get the same grade as Neville's, and he was improving very slightly.

She tried not to show her relief as the bell rang, signaling the end of class, and she gathered her things together.

"Miss Granger."

Hermione froze, wondering if she could pretend she hadn't heard, but Ron and Harry had, and said they'd save her a seat in the Great Hall. She forced a tight smile and turned, walking slowly to the desk.

"My office, please," Professor Snape said in a low voice as the last student slipped from the room. Hermione followed him into the office, holding her bag tightly against her hip.

"We need to talk," Severus said, closing the office door.

"I have class," Hermione mumbled, a weak lie, one he saw right through.

"No, you don't. You have lunch, just like the rest of your classmates, Miss Granger," Severus replied, moving behind his desk.

"I think we can drop the formalities," Hermione muttered, a small laugh escaping her lips.

"Fine, then, Hermione." Severus paused, trying to see if he could make eye contact with Hermione, to no avail. He sighed, placing his hands on his desk.

"What we did-" he began.

"What we did should not've happened," Hermione stated quietly but firmly.

"I agree. But, Hermione, it did, and we can't just ignore it."

"If you're afraid I'll tell someone, don't be."

"I wasn't-" Severus paused, clearing his throat. He stared at Hermione, who continued to look determinedly everywhere else but at him.

"Do you still want to work on the project?" he asked finally.

"Yes," Hermione answered quietly.

"Then I'll see you tonight after dinner."

Hermione nodded and turned to leave.

"Would you at least look at me?"

"I have to go," Hermione said and left the office as fast as he'd seen her move all day.

Severus sat back in his chair, rubbing his lips with his fingers, staring at the door and frowning slightly. He had to admit, he wasn't worried about Hermione telling anyone. Not even the Weasley girl, who she seemed rather close to. No, he figured the embarrassment was too much for her. That, and a fear of getting into trouble. Though technically that line had been toed and passed Saturday night. Feeling troubled, Severus stood and retreated into his chambers.

-------

As the project and their nightly sessions resumed, the tension between Hermione and Severus grew. She wouldn't work near him at all, and every potion they finished she'd label and leave on the table so as not to risk touching him; it was almost as she was afraid of him.

By Friday, Severus had grown irritated by it all and he grabbed her wrist as she began to walk away.

"Let me go," she muttered, her back to him.

"Not until you tell me what's going on. It's rather difficult to work with you when you won't work with me."

Hermione didn't respond, just remained still, keeping her back to him.

"Will you at least look at me?" Severus asked, hating the tone of desperation that creeped into the phrase.

"I can't," Hermione whispered.

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid if I look at you... into your eyes... I'll lose control again."

"You won't," Severus said, carefully turning her around. They both soon discovered he was wrong.

They lay in bed a while later, not looking at each other, both staring up at the ceiling. Neither of them said anything for a while. Finally Hermione took a deep breath, letting it out as a whoosh.

"At least you didn't disappear this time," she said finally. Severus looked over at her as she got out of bed, grabbing her robes from the foot of the bed and wrapping them around herself. She turned to look at Severus as he sat up, propping himself up on his elbows.

"How did we let this happen again?" Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest. Severus stared at her, unsure of where she was going with this line of thought.

"You should know better," Hermione added pointedly. Severus sat up fully, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"I know you're not trying to pin all the blame on me for this."

"The first time, _you_ kissed _me_. This time, _you_ made _me_ look at you."

"But I don't recall hearing you say no either time. Don't even try to think that I forced you to do _anything_ you didn't want to, and don't try to blame me for _your_ raging hormones." Severus stood, holding the sheet around his waist, as Hermione's mouth dropped open.

"Raging hormones? Is that all you think I am, just some silly little teenage girl?"

"Have I ever showed any indication that I thought of you as anything other?"

Red patches appeared on Hermione's cheeks as she stared at him, outraged. "You snarky bastard!"

Severus narrowed his eyes again, taking a step towards Hermione. "Now you listen to me. Just because you and I are in this situation doesn't mean you can talk to me as though I were Weasley or Potter or another one of your foolish friends."

"You're an ass," Hermione snapped. "You wanna play the authoritative card _now_? A little late for that, _sir_."

"You wretched little-"

"Wretched little what?" Hermione took a step forward, glaring at Severus. "Wretched little what, bitch? Mudblood? Some other cutting insult from your oh so clever mind?"

Severus stared at Hermione for a moment, unsure of just how he wanted to deal with her, and had opened his mouth to reply when Hermione suddenly grabbed him and kissed him with renewed energy. He could tell she was still angry with him, but he realized he didn't care; it excited him and he and Hermione stumbled towards the bed yet again.

-------

Hermione and Severus tried not to let their new relationship status affect their work, but they did look forward to the nights where they didn't need to worry about times or schedules or who needed to be where and could just enjoy the pleasures derived from their experiences.

But they couldn't be distracted from the direction their work was going in, and that seemed to be nowhere.

"What number are we on?" Severus asked at the beginning of December as he watched Hermione make some notes in her almost full notepad.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Hermione replied, glancing up at him.

"Humor me."

"One hundred fifty-eight."

Severus sighed. "Have we even come close yet?"

"No," Hermione answered, sliding her pencil through the rings of the notepad.

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me," Hermione said wryly, looking up at Severus. "I look through this thing every free moment I have. I have yet to see anything that would help, or anything to connect to anything else."

Severus sighed again. "Alright. So what're our options?" he asked, leaning against the table and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't know. I'm tired." Hermione dropped her notepad to the table and leaned against it as well, putting her head in her hands.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm just tired. We've made one hundred and fifty-eight potions and we're _nowhere_."

"Sure we are. We know what doesn't work."

Hermione gave Severus a look. "Don't try to be optimistic. It doesn't suit you."

"Alright. You're right. We're nowhere." Severus adopted a slight scowl and looked away from Hermione for a moment. He started to suggest something else but a sharp pain shot through his left forearm and he gasped, taken by surprise. Hermione looked at him and saw him clutching his arm.

"He's not summoning you _now_?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm sorry. I have to. Tomorrow."

"Of course," Hermione said, watching Severus walk quickly to his chambers and shut the door.

She sighed and cleaned up the lab, closing and locking the ingredient room and sample cabinet, extinguishing the candles as she left.

She spent much of the next day, Sunday, in the library, making a list of ingredients that were used in any connection to memory. What was left of the afternoon she spent in the Forbidden Forest, collecting what plants she could find.

That night she greeted Severus with a basket full of her findings.

"What's this?" he asked, picking up one of the small bunches Hermione had made.

"I spent all day in the library looking up plants related to memory and then got some from the Forbidden Forest. Here's the list."

Severus glanced over the list in his hands. "I suppose they're worth a shot."

"We have a week. They're worth everything we've got."

They began brewing that night, three seperate potions, working well past nine o'clock.

Hermione worked on the samples during every break she had and each potions class.

By Friday night, they had five testable potions and five house elves to test them on.

"Better pray one of these works," Hermione muttered as she picked up the first potion and approached the elf at the head of the line, smiling kindly.

"Okay, all I'm going to do is give you a few drops of this potion. Understand?"

The elf nodded, beaming proudly. "Yes, miss."

Hermione smiled again and used a dropper to place a few drops onto the elf's tongue.

She waited a moment, and then began her questions.

"What just happened?"

"Miss gave me a potion," the elf squeaked.

"And before that?"

"Sir summoned us down here." The elf glanced up at Severus, who had let out a rather heavy sigh of exasperation.

"Did Gimpy do something wrong?" the elf asked, eyes widening worriedly.

"No, you did fine. Do you feel any different?"

The elf shook her head. Hermione looked up at Severus, who shook his head and approached the elf.

"You may go," he said, not unkindly. The elf nodded and disappeared with a loud pop.

"Side effects don't matter anymore, unless they're physically obvious," he explained, seeing Hermione's curious look. She shrugged.

"Alright," she replied, picking up the second potion.

She and Severus continued in this fashion until they reached the final potion.

"Last one," Hermione muttered. Severus grunted and Hermione turned to the remaining elf.

"Dobby!" she exclaimed, not having really looked at him when the elves first arrived.

"Hello!" the elf said brightly.

"Didn't we already test on you?" Hermione asked, dipping the dropper into the vial.

"Yes, but Dobby likes to see Miss. Only if Sir doesn't mind."

"Why would I mind?" Severus said, looking over at Dobby, who glanced fearfully at Hermione. She shook her head.

"You don't have to answer that, just open your mouth."

Dobby complied and Hermione placed the contents of the dropper in his mouth, nodding for him to close and swallow.

A moment later, Dobby frowned, and Hermione stared at him, her stomach fluttering a bit.

"What's wrong?"

"Dobby wonders, Miss, why he's here."

"You don't remember coming down here?" Hermione asked, trying not to get her hopes up.

"No, Miss."

"Do you remember Professor Snape summoning you down here?" Hermione was aware of Severus coming to stand beside her and Dobby shook his head, looking increasingly worried.

"Tell me, Dobby, do you feel anything else, anything... strange?"

Dobby shook his head again. "Dobby feels fine, Miss."

"Thanks, Dobby. You can go now."

Dobby nodded, looking relieved, and disappeared.

Hermione turned to look at Severus. "Do you really think we did it?"

"We'll have to test it on a human, but I think we did." He smiled faintly and Hermione kissed him, grinning.

"Don't look so happy, you might hurt yourself," she said, eyeing him as she started to clear away the failed potions and set about filling five vials with the successful one. He chose not to answer, just gave her a look, and helped clear away the unused ingredients.

"Who can we test it on?" he asked. "Term ended today, everyone's going home tomorrow."

"It's still early. I could probably get Ginny Weasley down here. I don't think anyone else would agree to come."

Severus nodded. "Alright, go get her."

Hermione nodded and left the lab, reappearing fifteen minutes later with the youngest Weasley in tow.

Severus looked slightly uncomfortable having someone else in the lab, especially another student, and Hermione could almost understand the feeling, the idea that somehow what they did together, in private, resonated throughout the lab, echoes of their illicit affair.

Hermione knew, though, that it wasn't true and she led Ginny over to the table.

"You explained it to her?" Severus asked, casting a glance at Ginny.

"Yes," Hermione answered, feeling slightly annoyed.

"Go on then."

Hermione frowned and turned back to Ginny.

"Okay, like I said on the way down, the professor and I think we've finished the potion, but seeing as how house-elves and humans are a bit different, you're gonna be our guinea pig. You're sure you don't mind?"

"No, it's kinda fun," Ginny answered, grinning.

Hermione smiled slightly. "If this works right, hopefully you won't remember this conversation."

"Test away."

Hermione laughed and gave Ginny a small glass; the potion just covered the bottom, but since Ginny was bigger than a house-elf, she need more than a dropper full.

Ginny swallowed the potion and Hermione watched her closely. About a minute later, Ginny's eyes sort of glazed over, like Hermione had seen happen with Memory Charms.

"Ginny?"

Ginny blinked, focusing on Hermione. "Hermione? Why am I down here?"

"I'll explain later. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine, just confused."

"You're not queasy or dizzy or anything?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Alright, good." Hermione smiled, glancing back at Severus, then at Ginny. "Wait for me by the stairs, okay?"

Ginny nodded and headed over to sit on the steps. Hermione approached Severus.

"I'm gonna take her back to her room, and then go to bed, okay?"

Severus nodded. "I want to see you tomorrow, though, to go over the details for our departure."

Hermione nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, then." She smiled slightly and then left the lab with Ginny.

After making sure Ginny was really okay, Hermione saw her into the common room and then went to her own room.

As she dressed for bed, she thought about the potion they had finally made and smiled, pleased with herself. She couldn't wait to get to the convention and see all the different potions masters and hear their theories and maybe even participate in a debate or two.

She smiled at her reflection as she put her hair up, then turned out the lights and climbed into bed, feeling the excited fluttering in her stomach.

-------

She found Severus in his office after lunch and sat in the chair across from him, waiting for him to begin. He went over the general plan with her, saying they'd leave the next day around two, and check in tomorrow night. The rest of the day they spent together, until dinner, at which point they headed for the Great Hall, and sat at their respective tables, Hermione enjoying sitting with the few students that remained. There were no house distinctions, just everyone together, which was rather nice.

She packed her trunk that night, trying to make sure she had everything she thought she would need, and then having to start over, because at the rate she was going, she was about to take everything she owned with her. Finally she finished, and, exhausted, went to bed.

She awoke the next morning at ten, too excited to sleep, and dressed, double checking her trunk. Afterward, she went to see if there was any breakfast left in the Great Hall, which she doubted. She was right, and, for lack of anything better to do, moved her things down to the front hall. She sat on her trunk and read until she heard Severus's familiar footsteps and looked up.

"I see you're ready," he said, his own trunk settling on the floor behind him with a thud. "How long have you been sitting here?"

Hermione glanced at the large clock beside the doors to the Great Hall; it read 1:30.

"About two hours or so."

Severus stared at her for a moment before speaking. "Well, I suppose we should head down. We don't know how long it'll take to find the portkey."

Hermione nodded, standing and tossing her book back into her trunk and pulled her cloak on over her robes.

She and Severus levitated their trunks and stepped out of the castle into the pristine white of the mid-December day. They made their way down the path to the gates, their trunks floating behind them.

"Okay, here we are. Look for anything that seems out of place."

Hermione nodded and they walked in seperate directions, peering closely around for anything half hidden in the snow.

"Here's a newspaper," Hermione called out finally, pulling the paper from the snow and brushing it off.

"Where's it from?" Severus asked, turning to look at her.

"London."

"That's it. Come back over here."

Hermione made her way through the snow back to her trunk and handed the slightly damp paper to Severus, dusting the bottom of the cloak off.

They waited in silence, Severus glancing at his pocket watch every so often to check the time and Hermione growing increasingly colder.

Finally, Severus motioned for her to stand.

"Ready?" he asked, extending one end of the newspaper to her. She nodded, grasping the handle of her trunk in one hand and the newspaper in the other.

A moment later, she felt the tug at her navel and closed her eyes. Next moment her feet hit solid ground, but, predictably, she swayed, losing her balance. An arm circled her waist, pulling her upright, and she opened her eyes as Severus helped her get her balance.

"One of these days," she muttered as Severus let her go.

"Yes, well, what's say we try and get a cab?"

Hermione grinned and grabbed the handle on her trunk, preparing to drag it behind her.

"No magic, right?" Hermione said in response to his confused look.

"Right." Severus sighed and grabbed the handle on his own trunk, following Hermione to the road.

"Now what?" he asked as they approached the busy street.

"Simple," Hermione answered, setting her trunk down and stepping forward, extending her arm as she did. A taxi soon slowed to a stop in front of her and the driver got out to help them with their trunks.

"See?" Hermione said, turning to smile at Severus. "Simple."

"Yes, of course," he muttered, helping the driver heave the trunks into the backend of the cab.

Severus and Hermione slid into the cab when the trunks were loaded, and Severus told the driver their destination.

A half hour later they pulled up in front of a monstrous wrought-iron fence with a gate attached. Hermione and Severus got out of the cab and Severus helped unload the trunks.

"You didn't bring any Muggle money, did you," Hermione muttered as Severus approached her. He shook his head and Hermione rolled her eyes, pulling a small coin purse from her pocket and paying the driver. He waved and pulled away, exhaust pluming behind the car.

"You owe me," she said as she slipped the purse back into her pocket and grabbed the handle of her trunk again. Severus followed suit and together they approached the imposing gate, which slowly swung open, as though expecting them.

Hermione glanced at Severus, who smirked, and she rolled her eyes again as they began their walk up the drive.

After fifteen minutes or so of walking, Hermione stopped and let go of her trunk, rubbing her shoulder.

"Can't we use magic now?" she asked.

"No need, we're here."

Hermione looked up and felt her mouth drop open. How had she not seen the house from the road?

She continued to gape at the house, or mansion rather, as she and Severus dragged their trunks up to the door.

Severus reached up and pulled a black cord. A loud bell sounded throughout the house and the door soon opened, revealing an elderly man, who smiled warmly at Severus and Hermione.

"Ah, Professor, Miss Granger. Welcome," he said, stepping aside to allow them to enter.

"Welcome," he said again, "to the 574th Annual Potion Convention and Workshop."


	5. Jealousy, fear, betrayal

Hermione and Severus were led to their respective rooms and left to unpack and get settled before dinner; they headed down together and stopped in the entrance to the dining room, where a number of large round tables were set up. A fair number of wizards were already seated, talking spiritedly amongst themselves. Severus and Hermione surveyed the room for a moment. 

Hermione suddenly gasped. "Is that Walter Branch?" she asked, somewhat breathlessly. "The man who created the potion to delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease?"

"Oh, yes," Severus said, sounding disinterested. "He's rather dull actually."

"Oh, but he's brilliant!"

"Brilliant does not always mean interesting, Hermione."

Hermione glanced up at Severus, raising an eyebrow. He sighed.

"Alright, fine, we'll sit with Walter Branch."

Hermione beamed and the two of them walked over to Walter's table.

Walter stood as they approached, looking absolutely delighted.

"Severus, dear boy!" he exclaimed, grasping Severus's right hand in both of his own.

"Walter," Severus said, significantly more subdued.

"Boisterous as ever, I see," Walter said, laughing at his own joke. He turned his attention to Hermione and smiled. "And who is this enchanting looking young lady?"

"Hermione Granger, sir," Hermione answered, extending her hand. "I'm a huge admirer of your work."

"Ah, well, those are few and far between," Walter replied genially, shaking Hermione's hand.

"Hermione's here as my assistant," Severus added and Walter glanced up at him.

"I'm sure she could teach you a thing or two, Severus."

"Perhaps," Severus responded quietly, glancing quickly down at Hermione.

"Yes, well," Walter continued, eyeing Severus for a moment before smiling broadly and gesturing toward the table. "Sit, make yourselves comfortable. I trust dinner will be served soon."

Hermione and Severus sat and Walter immediately pulled Hermione into a conversation about his latest creation, something to do with mold and allergies.

It wasn't that Severus was jealous; he just never really liked Walter Branch.

But it was more than a disliking for Walter that made Severus glance at Hermione all throughout dinner, mild irritation swelling in his stomach as she yammered on about this, that, and the other.

He refused to acknowledge his feelings for what they truly were, even as he stood from the table after the plates had been cleared and tapped Hermione's shoulder.

"Are you finished?" he asked, knowing full well he was being rude.

"Come now, Severus," Walter said incredulously, glancing at the clock at Hermione looked up at Severus. "It can't be time for bed yet if I'm still wide awake."

"No, Walter, it's alright," Hermione said, standing. "The professor and I need to discuss our potion."

"Ah, well, very well then. Good night to you dear." Walter stood and gave Hermione a peck on the cheek. "We shall continue our conversation later on."

Hermione nodded, smiling, and Walter glanced at Severus.

"They say laughing makes you live longer. But I guess your aim is to die young with no laugh lines, eh?"

"The wit on you," Severus said wryly. Walter grinned slightly and ambled off.

"Jealousy isn't a good look for you," Hermione hissed as they left the dining room.

"Whoever said I was jealous?" Severus replied stubbornly as they began to climb the stairs.

"Oh, could it have been the sour look on your face all through dinner?"

"You noticed something other than the amazing Walter Branch? How utterly shocking."

"How old are you, twelve?" Hermione snapped. "Do you just crave my undivided attention?"

Severus didn't answer and Hermione turned to face him as they reached their rooms.

"You had better be in a better mood tomorrow. No way are you going to ruin this experience for me."

Severus watched as Hermione entered her room and shut the door firmly in his face.

Frowning slightly, he entered his own room and removed his robes, hanging them from a hook on the wall.

He supposed she was right, although he hated to admit it. He supposed he could be slightly less... Slytherin in his tendancies and allow her to maybe enjoy herself.

But as he watched her over the next week, he was amazed to discover how much it bothered him, to see her so popular among the other potion masters. He thought it could've been due to the fact that most of them were men, but even with other women, Severus felt ugly jealousy rising within him. Not that he was used to being belle of the ball, but he'd never been outright snubbed by someone as they sought out someone else, and it was a double kick in the head that the person they sought was Hermione.

Formal convention activities were ended December 23, to resume the 27, to make time for Christmas and general holiday cheer.

Hermione, obviously in high spirits, appeared in his room Christmas Eve morning.

"A bunch of us are going shopping for gifts in town. Wanna stop brooding for a while and come along?" she asked, eyeing him appraisingly.

"Brooding?" he repeated, avoiding the question. Hermione sighed.

"I'm not going to argue with you right now. Are you coming or not?"

"I think I'll pass," he muttered, turning away from her. He heard her sigh again.

"Suit yourself," she said, closing the door. He listened to her footsteps as she retreated down the hall and descended the stairs. Minutes later, the front door closed. He figured he was one of the few people left in the large house, if not the only one, and wondered how best to kill time until at least lunch.

A number of ideas popped into his head, none of them particularly appealing. He was almost starting to wish he'd gone with Hermione and the others.

Hermione. Severus glanced at the wall seperating his room from hers and another idea formed.

It was a terrible idea, but a very tempting one, and before he knew what he was doing, he had unlocked Hermione's door and slipped into her room.

He gazed around for a moment, realizing he'd never been in Hermione's room, neither here or at Hogwarts. She was very neat, which was almost to be expected. Bed made, no stray clothes anywhere. Even her trunk, which sat open at the foot of the bed, was organized. Her robes hung in the closet, but her cloak was missing, probably taken with her into town.

Almost disappointed with the less than revealing look around Hermione's room, Severus turned to go, but as he stepped towards the door, something on the desk caught his eye. A small book. He approached the desk and picked up the book. Letters he assumed were Hermione's initials were printed in gold script in the lower right corner - HJG.

He never would've thought of Hermione as one to keep a journal, but then he'd had one when he was younger, so anything was possible.

Carefully he sat in the desk chair, trying not to disturb anything and opened the journal. Hermione's neat handwriting announced the date of the first entry, September 1, and began with, _A new journal for a new term._

He wondered if she did indeed have a journal for her previous terms as he began to flip through the pages. He stopped every so often when something caught his eye; there were a few entries that talked about him, mostly recently, and what they did together.

He didn't really stop until he got to the most recent entry, and it was the first sentence that caught his eye.

_December 22_

_I think I love him. Or at least I thought I did. It's a strange feeling I get when he's around. I know it's not hate because I know how that feels; everytime I hear someone mention Lucius Malfoy, that's hate, and especially when I see him. But it's different with Severus. I used to feel comfortable around him, but over the last few days I've just felt... stressed, if that's the right word. Tense. Has the convention and being around so many brilliant, talented people so changed my perspective?_

_I feel almost as if Severus is pulling me back, pulling me down, and away from my dreams. I don't feel as though staying with Severus will aid me, but rather hinder me. That is, if there's anything to stay with. A fling is what this is, I think. He doesn't care about me, not like I do about him. Sex for the sake of pleasure and nothing else. No deeper feeling or meaning to it. Damn me and my girlish notions of love._

In a moment of abstract thought, Severus found it amusing that Hermione signed her entries, again with her initials, though without the middle one. HG.

And then it slowly started to sink in. She thought she _loved_ him? He wondered what gave her such a ridiculous idea, what he could've done to make her feel that way.

He was impossible to love, as he'd been told twice in his twenties, by two different girls. After that, he just gave up.

And now Hermione thought she loved him? He'd never been overtly affectionate with her, tried to remain as he always had around her, before the affair.

She couldn't possibly love him. He'd show her that.

Feeling disgruntled, Severus laid the journal back on the desk and got up, heading back to his room.

When Hermione and the others returned, Severus didn't let on that he knew any more than he did and rather accepted Hermione's under-the-table advances at dinner, the two of them returning to his room after the meal. Nothing was different about the sex either, unless a mild thrill about the not-so-secret location counted.

It was late when Hermione left to go back to her own room, and Severus lay still, staring into the darkness of the room.

He thought back to Hermione's journal entry and wondered if she still thought she loved him. He even wondered if he might possibly love her, and when his mind didn't return an immediate no to the question, he knew he had to do something before everything spiraled completely out of control.

When Severus awoke the next morning, he was mildly surprised to see a small pile of gifts placed neatly on the desk. Allowing curiousity to get the best of him, he got out of bed, grabbing his robe from the chair by the bed and wrapping it around himself, cinching it at the waist.

He glanced over the tags on the gifts, reading the names of who they were from. Dumbledore, of course. His mother, even though he hadn't actually seen her in years; he told himself it was for her protection, but that was a lane his memory didn't want to travel down today. Nothing from his father, but he'd learned a long time ago never to expect anything from him. A couple of other small gifts from his American acquaintances, and underneath the modest pile, a card, labeled in Lucius Malfoy's handwriting. Severus felt his stomach turn as he picked it up. He slowly turned it over, sliding his finger beneath the flap to break Malfoy's seal, and extracted the card from within.

A snowy scene greeted him on the outside of the card, though there was something mildly sinister, which was to be expected from the Malfoys. Severus flipped the card open and glanced at the generic holiday greeting inside, underneath which Lucius and Narcissa had signed their names.

But it was the inscription on the other side that caught Severus's eye and he read it with some trepidation.

_Severus, old friend, how are things with you and that lovely Mudblood Granger? Is the screwing the twit better than one of your own kind? We're all dying to know, Severus. Of course, that's not to say we won't all be taking turns with her before long. Young flesh and all that. Hope you're having a wonderful holiday._

Severus stared at the note, his stomach churning and his blood boiling. He knew Lucius must have written it after Narcissa had already signed it, because although Narcissa was a frigid bitch, she wasn't nearly as horrible as Lucius.

Severus scanned over the note again and then crumpled the card in his hand, slamming it angrily against the wall. Being paper, it didn't do much of anything and didn't make Severus feel any better. There was a knock at the door and then it opened. Hermione stood in the doorway, ensconced in a bathrobe, as Christmas tended to be a casual affair.

"What's wrong?" she asked, correctly reading his mood.

"Nothing," he lied.

Hermione stared at him a moment, but decided not to press the matter.

"Are you coming to breakfast?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute," Severus answered, remembering that he had nothing on underneath his robe.

"Alright." Hermione smiled briefly and left, closing the door behind her. Severus found the crumpled note and destroyed it, rather than risk Hermione seeing it. He left his present unopened and pulled on what he normally slept in, covering that again with his robe and heading downstairs to the dining room.

Hermione was already deep in conversation with Walter Branch as Severus slid into the seat beside her. Glancing around the room, it was almost comical to see so many esteemed professors and potions masters sitting around in their pajamas. Severus was almost tempted to smile, but the contents of the note flooded his mind and instead he felt ill.

Breakfast soon appeared on the tables and conversation for the most part was replaced by silverware clinking on plates. Hermione, to her credit, noticed Severus was really eating and looked up at him.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly.

"I'm fine," Severus lied again. "Just not hungry."

"You look pale," Hermione pressed. "Well, more so than usual."

"It's fine. I'm fine."

Hermione frowned slightly but let it go, turning back to her breakfast.

Severus returned to his room after the meal to open his gifts and get properly dressed.

He opened the gifts from his American colleagues first, not surprised to see books revealed beneath the paper. His mother had given him the same, but this made him a little sad. He vowed, when all this was over and he didn't have to worry about Voldemort anymore, he'd go to see her.

The gift from Dumbledore remained and Severus picked it up, steeling himself for the oddity it probably contained.

Inside was a pair of socks. Severus stared at them for a moment, trying to see if there was any deeper meaning. Sighing, he pulled the socks from the box and made to toss them on his bed when a small card fell out. Severus picked it up, the headmaster's familiar script greeting him.

_Actions speak louder than words._

Severus flipped the card, but there was nothing more written.

"Bloody kind of cryptic," he muttered, tossing the card on top of the socks. Unbidden, his mind wandered back to Lucius's note and he cursed himself for allowing it to get to him. Just as Albus was the king of cryptic, Lucius Malfoy was the king of all talk and very little action.

The words still plagued him, though, and so he went back downstairs so as not to be alone with his own thoughts.

He managed to distract himself for most of the afternoon and evening, but when Hermione appeared at dinner, the note again came to mind and he agonized briefly over the thought of what Lucius and the others would do to her, and more importantly, what they were actually _capable_ of doing to her.

His only problem was how to get her to stop wanting to be with him, to stop associating with him, just to protect her.

The answer didn't come to him until the night before they were supposed to show their potion and he knew it was horrible, but he couldn't think of any other way to make her hate him.

"When do we show our potion?" Hermione asked the next morning at breakfast.

"Seven-thirty tonight," Severus answered, pouring himself another cup of coffee, drinking it straight, no cream, no sugar. If Hermione noticed, she said nothing, even though he normally took his coffee with one sugar cube and just a bit of cream. He was jittery even without the coffee.

He played the silent observer all day, trying to convince himself that what he was going to do was necessary to Hermione's safety. But he couldn't shake the horrible feeling of guilt, an idea that was almost foreign to him.

After dinner, they returned to their rooms to get ready for the presentation. Severus quietly slipped out at seven, potion and notes in hand.

Hermione left her own room just before 7:30, assuming Severus had gone down to set up.

She walked into the presentation area, her robes half on and half off, and stopped when she heard Severus's voice, droning on in a very familiar tone. She looked up and saw him in the middle of the room, each convention attendee clustered around him, listening closely.

Hermione stared, unable to believe what she was seeing. He couldn't possibly be presenting the potion without her. Her fear was answered, however, when one of the potions masters spoke up.

"Did Miss Granger contribute to the potion any?"

"Miss Granger assisted me, but so far as conception and brewing, everything else was my idea."

He looked up as he said this and made eye contact with Hermione.

"Where is Miss Granger now?" someone else asked.

"I didn't think her services were needed," Severus answered, still looking at Hermione. A small murmur swept through the assembled group.

Hermione's mouth dropped open slightly as she stood, frozen in place, her robes still not completely on, angry tears forming in her eyes.

Severus finally looked away and Hermione turned, rushing from the room.

He found her in her room five minutes later, throwing things haphazardly into her trunk.

"What're you doing?" he asked. She glared at him with red rimmed eyes.

"I'm leaving, since obviously my being here is a complete and utter _joke_."

"Hermione-"

"How could you do that to me?" she cried, fresh tears springing forth. "I just spent three months working on that potion. A potion that was _my_ bloody idea!"

"Hermione, you don't understand."

"You're damn right I don't understand," Hermione shouted, throwing clothes in her trunk. "And I don't want to hear whatever stupid excuse you have, because there is nothing you could say that would justify what you did."

"Hermione, just calm down, the others will hear you," Severus tried again, taking a step towards Hermione.

"I don't care if they hear me," Hermione snapped, slamming some books down on top of the clothes. "They should know how utterly selfish and what a lying bastard you are. Was this your plan all along? To string me along and make me think I was actually important to this? Important to you, even?"

"No," Severus said quietly, watching tears track paths down Hermione's cheeks.

"It was only after we got here, wasn't it." Hermione nodded and resumed her feverish packing. "You just couldn't stand that everyoine wanted to hear my thoughts and my opinions and ideas and not yours."

"That's not true, Hermione," Severus replied, his voice rising slightly.

"Stop lying!" Hermione shouted. "You've been jealous from the moment I introduced myself to Walter Branch."

"Okay, fine," Severus finally yelled. Hermione stared at him, surprised.

"Maybe I was jealous. Alright? Are you happy?"

"And so you decided to crush _my_ dreams by taking all the credit for the potion?"

"Your dreams?" Severus laughed incredulously. "It was one potion. One stupid, worthless potion!"

"Maybe to you it was, but not to me. You _humiliated_ me, Severus. Down there, when you said that I was _just_ your assistant? You basically relegated me to some worthless teenage girl with silly ideas."

"To most of those pepople down there, Hermione, that _is_ all you are."

Hermione blinked, looking as thought she'd been slapped.

"That's what you think too, isn't it," she finally whispered. "I'm just a worthless little girl, a _Mudblood_ not worth a second thought."

Severus didn't reply, which in itself was his answer.

"And what about us? The past two months. What was I to you? A thrill? Fucking a student, a Muggleborn witch. Just something to brag to your Death Eater pals about, how easily swayed Potter's friend was."

Severus winced inwardly at the harsh word that had escaped Hermione's lips, but he looked at her directly.

"You were never anything more," he said very clearly. Fresh tears again filled Hermione's eyes and it seemed as though someone had let the air out of her; she sagged visibly, placing her hand on the foot of the bed.

"I can't... I can't believe I ever thought I loved you," she whispered, her tears flowing now.

"I never asked you to love me, Miss Granger," Severus said snidely and Hermione flinched again at the second blow.

"Of course not," she snapped back, sniffing hard. "You're impossible to love. I should've realized."

"Perhaps you'll think next time before you just lay down from someone."

"You bastard," Hermione hissed, straightening and pulling out her wand. "Get out. Get out before I do something else I'll regret."

Severus was more than happy to oblige, slamming the door behind him as he left.

Hermione stared at the closed door a moment before dropping her wand and sinking to the floor, leaning against the bed and bringing her knees up, wrapping her arms around her torso. She felt like she couldn't breathe, couldn't think. She'd never cried so hard or hurt so much in her life, and at the moment, it felt like she'd never stop.

* * *

A/N: Be gentle. I swear, I promise, things will get better for our couple! 


	6. Stressful time

A/N: Chapter 6. Enjoy :D

* * *

Hermione left the next morning, leaving a thank you note in her room to the host of the convention, as she couldn't bear to see anyone.

The castle was all but deserted when Hermione returned, which suited her fine as she took her things to her room.

She unpacked slowly, feeling emotionally drained.

"Miss Granger?" a familiar voice called and Hermione turned to see Albus Dumbledore enter the room.

"I thought you and Severus weren't to return until tomorrow," Dumbledore said, gazing curiously at Hermione.

"I wasn't feeling well, so I came back early," Hermione lied, turning away quickly in pretense of putting some more of her clothes away.

"Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?" Dumbledore asked, concerned.

"No, I'm fine. Really." Hermione turned to smile at the professor and he smiled back, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Yes, well, did you enjoy the convention?"

"Oh, yes, I learned lots of new things."

"I'm glad to hear it." Dumbledore smiled again and made his exit, bidding Hermione good day.

Hermione sighed and sat down on the couch, closing her eyes and pressing her fingers to her forehead. It was so hard to forget everything Severus had said to her, and especially everything he _hadn't_ said, what he had told her with his eyes.

"Damn it," Hermione muttered, wiping her eyes and standing, picking up more clothes to put away.

Severus returned the next day and Dumbledore went to see him as well.

"How was the convention, Severus?" he asked as Severus pulled off his cloak.

"Not one for knocking, are you," Severus muttered, pulling his scarf from around his neck and laying it on the cloak. Dumbledore just smiled that annoying smile and Severus rolled his eyes.

"Ass numbingly boring, as usual," Severus replied, taking his robes off and turning again to face Dumbledore.

"Miss Granger seemed to have a fine time, although she came back early."

"Miss Granger is young," Severus muttered, trying to hide the fact that something inside him hurt as just the mere mention of her name. "As for her coming back early, she wasn't feeling well."

"Yes, she said that too."

"Is there a point to any of this?" Severus asked, folding his arms across his chest. Dumbledore raised his shoulders, cocking his head to one side.

"Is there something you would like to _ask_ me?" Severus pressed, beginning to grow annoyed.

"Did you and Miss Granger end your time together on good terms?"

Severus thought about his answer carefully, but quickly.

"As best as could be expected," he replied. Dumbledore stared at him for a moment and then smiled slightly.

"I'm glad to hear it. There will be a staff meeting on Saturday, before the students return," Dumbledore said as he left.

Severus scowled once the older man was out of sight and turned his attention to unpacking.

-

Hermione and Severus tried to avoid each other as much as possible and when they couldn't, took to ignoring each other's presence.

Hermione was somewhat relieved when Sunday came, as that was the day everyone was to return.

Sure enough, Sunday afternoon, Ginny came by to visit.

"How was your holiday?" she asked, settling herself on the couch.

Hermione shrugged. "It was okay."

"Okay? You're saying the _convention_ was okay? The one you talked about constantly?"

"It wasn't as great as I thought it would be, okay?" Hermione sighed and Ginny sat up, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Hermione, what happened?"

"What do you mean? Nothing happened."

"I expected to come back and hear you gush about all the exciting new things you learned. Something must've happened."

"Nothing happened," Hermione said again, although her voice lacked any real conviction this time.

"You're wringing your hands," Ginny said, pointing out Hermione's nervous tic. Hermione dropped her hands to her sides and Ginny stood.

"Is it Snape?" she asked gently, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Did he do something?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione whispered.

"I know you and he were closer than just the normal professor/assistant relationship. I'd venture to say closer than friends even, but I'm not sure I want to wrap my mind around that just yet."

"How did you..." Hermione breathed, a dozen emotions running through her mind.

"I kinda figured it out when I was down there to test the potion. Something about the way you were both acting."

One of the many emotions Hermione was now feeling was relief and she let out a big breath, smiling slightly, even though her eyes were filling with tears.

"So what happened?" Ginny asked again as they sat down on the end of the bed.

"It was awful," Hermione began, sniffling. "I mean, the convention started out okay, but around Christmas he just started acting _weird_. And then, when we were supposed to present our potion, he claimed it was his. The idea, everything. He didn't give me an ounce of credit. We had this big fight in my room, and he just said awful things." Hermione wiped her eyes, sniffing again.

"He's a git, Hermione," Ginny said, placing an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "Not worth a second thought."

"But it's more complicated than that," Hermione said sadly, slowly shaking her head. Ginny looked up at her.

"You're not...? Assuming you two were..."

Hermione frowned, and then she understood.

"Oh, no. Not that complicated. It's just that I thought I loved him. I know it's silly and foolish, but I just..." Hermione trailed off and Ginny shook her head.

"It's not foolish. You were close, you were intimate-"

"We slept together," Hermione muttered. "Don't try to sugarcoat it."

"Fine. But you're not foolish for having feelings for him."

Hermione shrugged. "I'm an idiot for thinking I could... get to him, see a different side of him." Hermione paused before she spoke again, her voice softening. "I feel used."

Tears filled Hermione's eyes again and Ginny pulled her into a hug.

-

Classes began again the next day and Hermione dreaded potions before lunch. She still felt so angry and hurt, and she was a little afraid she might say something.

Harry and Ron were oblivious to any change in her behavior as they entered the room and took their usual seats.

Hermione would've rather listened to anyone other than Severus, but she wasn't keen on the idea of screwing her potion up either, so she paid attention, writing down the directions as she always did, mostly for Neville, as he always seemed to mess up the most as his eyes moved between the blackboard and his cauldron.

Severus signaled for everyone to start on their potions and Hermione settled into her rhythm.

It wasn't long before Severus began his rounds around the room and Hermione could hear the click of his heels on the stone floor; the all too familiar sound sent a jolt through Hermione and she closed her eyes for a moment, gritting her teeth.

The clicking came closer and anger suddenly surged through Hermione.

"Miss Granger-"

"Get away from me," Hermione said in a low voice, opening her eyes. Unfortunately, as the entire class was silently working, they all heard her, and she looked up to see 20 pairs of surprised eyes staring at her.

"I beg your pardon?" Severus said, quickly regaining his composure, as he too had looked momentarily stunned. Hermione glanced up at him, looking him directly in the eye.

"I said get away from me."

Severus returned her stare, his eyes glittering; the class had gone completely silent, as if they were simultaneously holding their breath.

"Detention, Miss Granger," Severus finally said icily. "See me after class."

Hermione frowned and turned away. Neville was staring at her, white faced, his potion dangerously close to boiling over.

"Longbottom!" Severus snapped. "Are you trying to set a school record for most destroyed cauldrons? Mind your potion!"

Neville jumped and adjusted the flame under his cauldron just in time.

"Everyone back to work," Severus finished, finally moving away from Hermione.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione could see Ron and Harry staring at her shock. She turned her back full to them and went about seeing if she could save her potion.

It was barely salvagable, but worth a good enough grade and so Hermione continued on, bottling the potion just before class ended.

As she, Harry, and Ron washed their hands, Hermione told them she'd see them in the Great Hall in just a minute. They nodded, still looking mildly shocked, and left the room as Hermione gathered her things. She waited until everyone had gone before she approached Severus's desk.

"Yes?" she said coldly. Severus glared at her.

"I want you down here tonight, straight after dinner."

"Fine," she muttered, turning to go.

"Hermione," Severus began as she walked away; she stopped and turned to look at him.

"I don't believe we're on a first name basis anymore, Professor." Hermione stared at him a moment before turning again and leaving.

Severus hated her for making him feel this way, making him want to ask her to forgive him, to try again. But it was too dangerous. Lucius Malfoy's Christmas note came back into his mind and Severus couldn't bear the thought of Hermione being taken and used by all those bastards.

Sighing angrily, Severus stood and retreated into his office.

Meanwhile, Hermione had joined her friends at lunch and had begun loading her plate.

"Hermione, are you feeling alright?" Ron asked, glancing at Harry.

"I'm fine, Ron," Hermione answered, somewhat irritably.

"But talking back to Snape like that," Harry continued, somewhat gentler than Ron. "It's not like you."

Hermione looked up and saw Ginny watching her, looking somewhat concerned; sighing, she turned to look at Ron and Harry.

"It's fine. Professor Snape and I didn't exactly end our time at the convention on good terms, and I'm still a little angry with him. Just leave it be." Hermione finished filling her plate and the others lapsed into silence.

Through the rest of the day's classes, Hermione's anger simmered, never quite growing, but not quite lessening either, and by dinner, Hermione's mood hadn't changed.

She hadn't had any time to change her clothes or drop her bag off at her room, so after dinner she headed to the potions classroom, still in her school clothes, bag weighing on her shoulder.

A table stacked high with cauldrons greeted her and she grimaced as she dropped her bag to the floor, piling her robes on top of it.

"I assume you know what to do?"

Hermione looked to the front of the room as Severus entered and didn't answer, moving instead to the table and pulling the scrub brush from inside a bucket full of soapy water.

She worked quickly and quietly, taking only small breaks, not even a minute in length, just to catch her breath.

She finished sometime around eight o'clock and Severus came to inspect her work.

"Very well. You may go. I expect you back down here tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night?" Hermione exclaimed, as she picked up her bag, staring at Severus.

"Not only did you disrespect me, Miss Granger," Severus said shortly, "you humiliated me in front of my students. I think that warrants more than one night of detention."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it, instead turning on her heel and striding angrily from the room.

Ginny was waiting for Hermione outside her room and stood as she approached.

"He said _I_ humiliated _him_," Hermione said by way of greeting.

"Is he serious?" Ginny asked incredulously as Hermione muttered the password and they walked into the room together.

"Of course he's serious, he's always serious." Hermione dropped her bag to the floor and pulled her robes off, hanging them as she always did from a hook on the closet door.

"God, what an-"

"Ass?" Hermione finished, untucking her shirt and unbuttoning it. "Yes, I tend to agree."

Ginny grinned slightly.

"I have to go back tomorrow night," Hermione continued, tossing her shirt in the basket for the house-elves to wash.

"Tomorrow? Why?" Ginny asked, handing Hermione her night shirt from the bed.

"Because not only did I 'disrespect' him," Hermione replied, her voice muffling as she pulled the shirt over her head, "I 'humiliated' him."

"That's complete and utter rubbish," Ginny said, frowning slightly. "He thinks he deserves your respect after what he did to you?"

Hermione sighed, pulling off her skirt and pulling on the shorts she slept in.

"I don't know. But it's late, and I've got homework to do, so I'll see you in the morning."

Ginny nodded and stood, smiling at Hermione as she left.

The next night, Severus set Hermione on her hands and knees on the floor, armed with a scrub brush and yet another bucket of soapy water.

"Just call me Cinderella," she muttered, pulling her hair back and away from her face.

Twice Severus wanted to ask her to stop, to let him apologize, but damn it, she was better off without him. Safer at least.

Wednesday night, Hermione entered the classroom, looking around for Severus. She didn't see him, but did see the familiar bucket of water on one of the tables, and, assuming he wanted her to clean the tabletops, began her work. Severus entered the room not long after and took his customary seat behind his desk.

Hermione glanced up at him and noticed he looked different. Tired, maybe even sad, although she'd never seen him look sad before. He was staring at something in his hands and as she watched he brought it to the desktop, still gazing at it; it looked like a card.

Hermione continued cleaning as she watched him.

When she neared his desk, he opened the card and Hermione saw the cover.

_Happy Birthday to my son._

"Today's your birthday?" Hermione asked, unable to restrain herself. Severus looked up at her and she wondered if he'd forgotten she was there.

He looked at her for a moment, then frowned. "Are you finished, Miss Granger?"

Hermione nodded. "I suppose so."

"Then good night. You'll have no more detention this week."

"Thank you," Hermione murmured, feeling perplexed.

She glanced at him once more as she left; he was staring at the card again and Hermione wondered what he was feeling.

-

"Dad and some Aurors arrested a bunch of wizards last night," Ron said the next morning as Hermione sat down beside him.

"How come?" Hermione asked, slightly startled as she placed her bag on the floor at her feet.

"Remember the old factory?"

Hermione nodded.

"They were caught trying to break into it."

Hermione frowned, glancing up at Ron. "Did he say why they were trying to break in?"

Ron shook his head. "He said they wouldn't tell him."

"That's odd. Morning, Harry."

Harry looked tired as he sat down on the other side of Hermione.

"Morning," he muttered, pouring himself some coffee.

"Are you okay?"

"My scar was burning all night. I couldn't sleep."

"That probably means that the wizards were somehow working in conjunction with Voldemort," Hermione said, buttering a piece of toast. "Probably against him."

"Or for him," Ron muttered, staring at his plate.

"Yes, well, innocent until proven guilty, as they say."

Ron and Harry grunted, turning to their plates, and Hermione paused in her meal preperations to glance up at the staff table.

Severus was there, talking with Professor Dumbledore. It almost looked like a normal conversation, although Hermione knew that between the two of them, there was probably no such thing.

She began to eat, thinking back to last night. She never would've suspected it had been his birthday, although now that she thought about it, he'd looked more melancholy than usual. She wondered how old he was.

When she finished eating, the three of them stood and headed for class.

-

A week passed and Hermione gave up on being angry with Severus. It was pointless and it just made her tired; besides, she had N.E.W.T.s to worry about this term.

The teachers were also getting into the spirit of exams, with tougher lessons and more quizzes.

Professor McGonagall asked who was considering becoming an Animagus. When most of the class raised their hands, she raised her eyebrows and explained the training process, which could take years.

"And so, after hearing that, I'll ask again. Who among you seriously intends to become an Animagus?"

She seemed unsurprised with Harry, Ron, and Hermione raised their hands again, although her eyebrows did twitch slightly as Draco Malfoy also raised his hand. Hermione figured he wasn't in it for any good purpose.

Severus had set upon the class a much more difficult potion, which Hermione tackled with academic exuberance, pleased to finally be challenging herself.

Severus unlocked the door to the large storage room and ordered the students to line up and enter one by one to get their cauldrons.

"Take care to not jostle them too much. We don't need any accidents."

Severus still seemed tired, Hermione noted, watching him surreptitiously. She wondered if he'd been summoned the night before.

It was her turn now and she stepped into the storage room, grasping her cauldron by the handle and carrying it to her workspace. Neville looked nervous as he set his own cauldron up.

"Calm down, Neville," Hermione murmured. "Just pretend Professor Snape's not there."

"I've tried that," Neville whispered back.

"Remember how well you did on your O.W.L.? Just pretend you're in that same environment, and you'll be fine."

Neville nodded, looking newly determined, and began working.

The room was soon silent as everyone resumed work on their potions, and Hermione relaxed, settling into her routine.

She couldn't help but notice, however, that Severus wasn't making his usual rounds, hovering around like a bat. Hermione glanced up at him as he stood at the front of the room, leaning against his desk. He didn't look well, and Hermione felt worry twist her stomach.

Turning back to her potion briefly, Hermione carefully added her next ingredient, powdered bicorn horn, and smiled, satisfied, as the potion turned a light green. Picking up her mixing spoon, she placed it in the cauldron, setting it to stir clockwise 30 times and then counterclockwise 15 times. As the spoon began its work, Hermione glanced back up at Severus. He looked positively ill now and she could see a fine layer of sweat glistening on his forehead. He looked at her suddenly and she stared back at him.

As she watched, he took a step, and stopped, swaying slightly. And then, as if in slow motion, he toppled forward, hitting the floor hard.

Hermione gasped and ran to the front of the room, dropping to her knees beside Severus's still form and carefully rolling him onto his back.

"Professor?" she called, very nearly slipping and calling him by his name. He was breathing, but his pulse was faint. Hermione looked up, gazing at all the shocked faces around her.

"Someone go get help, for heaven's sake!" she cried, startling nearly everyone. Harry was the first to emerge from his stupor and hurried from the room.

Hermione scanned the students' faces; most showed fear or concern, but when she met Draco Malfoy's eyes, she saw hatred there, hatred for her, and while this wasn't anything new, it was unsettling, and Hermione frowned, dropping her eyes back to Severus. It was all she could do to not reach out and brush his hair from his face; she was saved from temptation as the classroom door opened and Professor McGonagall came in, Harry in tow.

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall said briskly, conjuring up a stretcher and levitating Severus onto it.

"He... he just collapsed," Hermione murmured, rising to her feet.

"Everyone, return to your common rooms," McGonagall said, nodding briefly to Hermione and walking quickly from the room, Severus's lifeless form floating ahead of her.

Hermione stood alone in the middle aisle, feeling uncomfortable under the watching gazes of her classmates.

"Um, I guess the potions aren't going to matter," she began quietly, "so do what you want with them, I suppose."

Hermione walked back to her own workstation and pointed her want at her own potion, which had turned a sour yellow color, and muttered, "Evanesco." The potion disappeared and Hermione began to pack up her things. Around her, other students did the same, slowly leaving the classroom. Hermione, Ron, and Harry waited on Neville, who looked upset as he loaded his things into his cauldron.

"What's the matter, Neville?" Hermione asked.

"Professor Snape. I mean, I always hoped something would happen to him, but I never _really_ wanted anything to happen to him."

"Neville, it's not your fault," Hermione said, smiling gently.

"I know. I just feel guilty." Neville frowned and carried a vial over to the sink to rinse it out.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione turned to see Professor McGonagall standing behind her.

"Could you please come with me?"

"Um... okay," Hermione murmured, glancing back at Harry and Ron.

"We'll take your stuff to the common room," Harry said.

"Thanks." Hermione smiled very slightly at him and grabbed her robes, following McGonagall from the room.

"Is something wrong?" Hermione asked, pulling on her robes.

"Professor Dumbledore wants to speak with you," McGonagall replied.

"Is Professor Snape okay?" Hermione continued softly.

"He should be fine." McGonagall smiled gently and Hermione returned it, fastening the clasp on her robes and trying very hard to not appear nervous.

They reached the hospital wing and saw Professor Dumbledore emerging from behind a curtained area.

"Miss Granger," he said, smiling as he approached her. "If you'll excuse us, Minerva."

McGonagall nodded and swept from the room.

"How are you, Hermione?" Dumbledore asked, dropping the formality.

"I'm fine, I guess."

"Good," Dumbledore murmured, nodding slightly.

Hermione didn't reply, not knowing what to add; they slowly approached the curtained area.

"How is he?" Hermione finally asked.

"He'll be fine," Dumbledore answered, nodding again.

"What happened? Do you know?"

"A mild heart attack, brought on by stress."

Hermione felt her mouth drop open slightly. "A heart attack?" she whispered, looking up at Dumbledore.

"He's fine, Hermione. Poppy patched him right up."

They stopped in front of the stark white curtain; Hermione could see Severus's form behind it and found it difficult to take her eyes from the shadowy figure.

"I wanted to ask you if you'd noticed anything strange about him lately."

"Not really. Only that he seemed tired. He and I haven't spent any time together since the convention." Hermione paused for a minute, watching Severus's chest rise and fall behind the curtain. "I don't know," she finished lamely, trying desperately to fight the rising lump in her throat.

"I suppose he has been under quite a bit of stress lately," Dumbledore murmured, more to himself than to Hermione; he looked troubled. Hermione nodded and they fell silent for a moment.

"Would you like to see him?" Dumbledore asked a moment later, reaching for the curtain. Hermione took a quick step back.

"No. No, I... I need to go to my room, get my things for my next class." Hermione took another step back and Dumbledore looked at her, his eyes shining oddly.

"Very well, then. Good day, Hermione."

Hermione nodded and turned to leave, pausing only once at the door to gaze back at the bed before she left.

* * *

A/N: Okay, before anyone jumps down my throat, it's not completely unlikely for Severus (or anyone) to have a stress related heart attack. I guess it's not very clear, but he has been under a lot of stress for weeks, so... yeah. If you're planning on reviewing to whine at me about it... don't. You'll just be wasting your breath (and typing skills). 


	7. Time to think

When Hermione awoke the next morning, she knew she should go see Severus. 

But she was afraid. Afraid of what she might say, of what he might say. She didn't want to admit she still cared for him, not to herself and especially not to him.

After staring at the same passage in her Arithmancy book for a half hour, Hermione gave up on homework and left her room, setting a course for the hospital. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen and Hermione could see Severus sitting up in bed behind the curtain.

Steeling herself, she walked over to the bed and carefully pulled back the curtain, stepping inside the small space.

She and Severus stared at each other for a long moment before Hermione cleared her throat and averted her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly.

"As good as can be expected, I suppose." Severus eyed Hermione for a moment. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see how you were," Hermione murmured.

"But why? You and I are nothing."

"I know," Hermione whispered, aware that at the rate she was going he wouldn't be able to hear anything else she said. "But I was... well, I was worried."

Severus stared at her for a minute, then sighed. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Hermione asked, glancing up sharply.

"Things," Severus replied simply. "Almost dying tends to put things into perspective for you."

"You didn't almost die," Hermione said softly.

"Yes, well, when you _think_ you're going to," Severus amended shortly.

Hermione and Severus stared at each other for a moment, both of them feeling the same thing, yet neither one of them admitting to it: the strong desire to be together, but both afraid of the risks.

"Poppy said she'd let me go after dinner tonight, so if you could come down-"

"To your chambers?" Hermione said warily.

"Believe me, whatever you're thinking is the last thing on my mind."

Hermione felt her face flush and she nodded.

"I'll be down tonight then."

Severus nodded and the silence stretched between them. Hermione finally cleared her throat and shifted her feet.

"I guess I'll go then," she mumbled, backing through the curtain and walking quickly from the hospital, almost running smack in Harry and Ron as she did.

"Hey, Hermione," Harry said, grabbing her arm as she stumbled slightly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Hermione replied, forcing a smile.

"Why were you in the hospital?" Ron asked. "Are you sick?"

"No, I'm fine. I just wanted to see how Professor Snape was doing."

"Oh," Ron murmured, glancing at Harry.

"What's that look for?" Hermione asked, frowning slightly.

"Nothing, just... is he alright?"

Ron looked slightly uncomfortable asking this, and Hermione could tell he wasn't particularly interested in knowing, but a small part of him couldn't help but be concerned.

"He's fine," Hermione murmured, finally moving away from the door. Ron and Harry followed. For the first time, Hermione noticed their broomsticks.

"It just seems odd," Harry began. "First you tell Snape to get away from you, and then you run to his side when he collapses."

"Story of my life," Hermione muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing. Look, no one else seemed in any rush to help him and I just-"

"I'm not asking you to defend yourself," Harry said, shrugging. "It's just curious is all."

"Quidditch practice?" Hermione asked, swiftly changing the subject as she nodded towards the boys' brooms.

"Yep. Game next weekend."

"Harry here seems to think that freezing our bums off will make us better players," Ron muttered, smirking.

"It is not that cold outside," Harry said, laughing.

"There's still snow on the ground, mate. I imagine that means it's still pretty cold out."

"Whatever you say." Harry grinned. "You wanna come watch, Hermione?"

Hermione hesitated only a minute before nodding.

"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute, I just need to run and get my cloak."

Harry and Ron looked pleasantly surprised as they nodded.

Hermione smiled and turned to head back to her room.

She enjoyed watching the practice, cheering as the team performed almost flawlessly.

"You guys look great up there," Hermione said, running to meet the team as they landed. Ginny grinned, brushing some loose strands of hair from her face.

"Maybe you'll come to the games now."

"Ha ha," Hermione muttered, grinning back. She walked back to the castle with Harry, Ron, and Ginny, glad she'd decided to see the practice rather than holing up in her room.

After dinner, she headed to the dungeons to see Severus. As she approached his office door, she saw it was cracked slightly and she carefully pushed it open.

Severus was seated at his desk, looking through some papers.

"You should be resting," Hermione murmured. Severus glanced up at her.

"I am resting."

"You wanted to talk," Hermione continued, closing the door. Severus nodded and stood, leading Hermione down to his chambers.

"Have a seat," he said, motioning to the small sitting area. Hermioen chose a chair, rather than the sofa, and watched a fire roar to life in the fireplace.

"Drink?" Severus asked from somewhere behind her.

"No," Hermione answered, turning slightly in her seat as Severus walked by.

"Hermione."

"I don't think-" Hermione began uneasily.

"I don't care. I've known you as Hermione. I can't know you as any other, and I don't want to know you as any other."

"Severus, what are you doing?" Hermione asked, her tone pained as he sat down on the sofa.

"I'm not _doing_ anything. I want to explain things to you." Severus stared at Hermione, his eyes almost pleading with her, which was something completely new to her.

"Explain what?" Hermione said softly.

"Everything. I was thinking that if I died without explaining, without... apologizing, it would be a mistake."

Hermione remained silent, waiting.

"The convention." Severus sighed. "I've notified the people in charge that the potion was not just my creation."

Hermione felt some of the old anger rise within her and she opened her mouth to speak.

"Just _listen_," Severus said, cutting her off. Hermione closed her mouth, staring at Severus.

"My actions were due partially to jealousy, I'll admit it. But I felt ignored-"

"You were never ignored," Hermione cut in, shaking her head and staring at him oddly.

"Every time I saw you, you were always with a group of people. They sought you out."

"Any group I was in was a discussion group." Hermione shook her head again. "And the only reason anyone ever 'sought me out' was to ask me if I knew what was wrong with you."

"What was wrong with _me_?" Severus asked, gazing at Hermione.

"Every time someone wanted to talk to you, you'd say probably two words and become essentially mute. I know, I watched you." Shaking her head yet again, Hermione looked at Severus, her eyes worried. "What was bothering you so much?"

"That's part of everything I have to tell you." Severus moved forward on the couch, clasping his hands together between his knees. "Voldemort has been hinting, in not so subtle ways, that you having any further involvement with me could be detrimental. To you." Severus stood, turning to face the fireplace. "And then I got a note at Christmas from Lucius Malfoy."

Severus closed his eyes and recited the note from memory, as it had haunted him since he received it. When he finished, he turned to look at Hermione. She was staring at him, her eyes shining brightly with unshed tears.

"I know what they're capable of doing, Hermione, and I couldn't stand thinking about what they would do to you. That's why I took the credit for the potion, so you would hate me and disassociate yourself from me."

Severus sat down again, longing to take Hermione's hands in his but restraining himself.

"My intention was never to hurt you the way I did. All I cared about was iprotecting/i you."

"If I was in so much danger when we were together," Hermione began slowly, controlling her voice, "then why am I down here now? Isn't this just adding kindling to the fire?"

"You're down here because I'm selfish. Part of the stress that led to my attack was, first of all, guilt over what I had done to you, and, more importantly, the realization that I love you."

Tears leaked from Hermione's eyes and she looked away, trying to compose herself before she spoke.

"Why couldn't you tell me this sooner?" she asked, swiping at her cheeks.

"Because I'm a fool..."

"Yes," Hermione agreed, nodding. "What do you want me to say, Severus? You hurt me, whether it was your intention or not. And besides, I have to think about myself, my_ family_. If being with you will endanger their lives, I don't know if I want to risk that."

Severus watched Hermione stand, rising as well as she walked past the sofa.

"I thought I loved you before, Severus. I guess I did," Hermione said, turning to face him. "And I've spent these last couple of weeks telling myself that I was stupid and foolish for ever thinking I could love you." Hermione sighed, tilting her head to the side and watching Severus with sad eyes. "I realize now that I never stopped loving you. But I need some time to think. Can you give me that?"

Severus nodded. "Yes," he whispered.

Hermione smiled briefly at him and then left.

Sighing, Severus turned and headed for the bathroom to prepare for bed.

* * *

When Hermione awoke the next morning, she lay still a moment, staring up at the ceiling.

She thought back to her conversation with Severus the night before, remembered the look in his eyes. She wanted to be with him, she couldn't deny that, didn't even try. But when she remembered Severus's recitation of Lucius Malfoy's note, her stomach twisted and she turned onto her side, curling up under the covers.

Maybe they wouldn't hurt her family, she reasoned. There wasn't any reason to, really, and besides, she didn't figure the Death Eaters were big on subtlety. If they wanted to hurt her, they'd just do it directly.

Hermione got out of bed and crossed to her desk to write a letter to her parents, to see how they were.

When she finished, she sealed the letter and dressed to take it to the owlery.

Hermione hadn't looked at the clock when she woke up, but she realized it must still be early as she only saw one other person on her way outside.

It was nice though, to walk out into the serene white of the grounds and after she sent Hedwig off with her letter, she headed down to the lake.

For the most part, it was frozen, except for a section over at the far end where the giant squid had broken through the ice.

Hermione stared at the frozen surface, watching the occasional wind gust swirl the snow around.

"I don't recall the lake holding the meaning of life when I was down there."

Hermione looked up to see Harry approaching her, a soft smile on his face. Hermione returned the smile.

"Yes, well, you had other things on your mind."

"True. What brings you out here so early?"

"I was using Hedwig to deliver a letter to my parents," Hermione answered, turning her eyes back to the lake.

"Ah, so that's why she wasn't there."

"I'm sorry, I didn't think-" Hermione began, looking at Harry again. He waved her apology away, shaking his head.

"It's alright. School owls work just as well." Harry gazed at Hermione curiously. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Hermione sighed.

"Let's sit," Harry said, pointing to one of the benches scattered around the lake. Hermione nodded and they stepped over to it, clearing the snow from the seat.

"How've you been, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking over at him. "I've been so busy with other things that I've kind of been neglecting you and Ron."

Harry shrugged. "Just another year at Hogwarts. The occasional scar twinge, the never ending threat of someone who wants to kill me, and the impending doom of N.E.W.T.s. I think N.E.W.T.s scare me more."

Hermione laughed as Harry smiled.

"So what brings you out here? Besides the letter. It's a bit chilly to be contemplating the lake."

"I was just thinking," Hermione murmured, digging a trough in the snow with her heel.

"About what?"

Hermione sighed again, filling the hole she'd dug. "Things. A guy."

"Oh," Harry replied softly. "Anyone I know?"

"No," Hermione lied. She wasn't quite ready to come out and tell Harry she was in love with their Potions professor.

"So what's the problem? If there is one."

"There kind of is. I love him, but there's just other issues in the way." Hermione stood and began pushing snow into a pile. "Let's make a snowman."

Harry grinned and stood as well, helping Hermione round the bottom.

"Is he worth the time?" Harry asked as he brushed some snow off the mound. Hermione glanced at him quizzically and Harry clarified what he was asking.

"Oh," Hermione said, "well, yeah. But there's also other factors."

Harry chose not to press what those were as he and Hermione moved onto their snowman's midsection; instead, he shrugged.

"If you think he's worth it, then give it a shot. Or at least talk to him."

Hermione nodded, skimming some snow from the torso in an effort to round him out a bit.

Harry, meanwhile, was kneeling down, forming the head. As he lifted it onto the snowman, Hermione giggled and Harry looked back at her.

"What?"

"He's a little short. And fat."

Harry stepped back and grinned. "Oh well." He looked around. "He needs a face."

Hermione went down to the lake and returned with two round stones and a slightly frozen reed.

"Eyes and mouth?"

"Works for me," Harry answered, watching as Hermione fixed the snowman's face. Harry stuck two fallen branches in the middle for arms and wrapped his own scarf around the lower half of the head. Hermione deemed it complete and then shivered.

"Let's go inside, I'm sure breakfast is ready."

Harry nodded and began to follow Hermione back to the castle. Glancing back at their snowman, he frowned. He'd never seen an unhappy snowman, and he didn't think it had anything to do with the quality of the reed.

* * *

Hermione received a letter back from her parents later that afternoon. They were fine, happy to hear from her. She read the letter twice, turning things over in her head.

Maybe she would talk to Severus, tell him what she was feeling.

Thinking to herself, Hermione finished her Transfiguration homework and then left her room, her idea to head to the dungeons.

But as she passed the doors to the grounds, she heard loud shouts from outside. Frowning and pulling out her wand, Hermione stepped over to the doors, which opened just enough to let her through.

She immediately wished she'd brought her cloak but just as quickly forgot about it when she saw the large crowd gathered around what was unmistakably a fight.

Rushing over, she fired a loud bang from her wand. The crowed parted and she used her wand again to blast the two boys apart.

"What is going on here?" she asked angrily as the boys, both third years, one a Gryffindor, one a Slytherin, picked themselves up. The Slytherin had a busted lip and the Gryffindor's nose was bloody. They both began talking at once and Hermione raised her hands.

"One at a time!" she cried, pointing at the Gryffindor. She seemed to remember his name as something Perkins.

"He insulted my father. Said he cried like a woman when the Death Eaters were torturing him. And he made a crack on my mother." Perkins sniffed angrily and the crowd around fell silent as Hermione looked over at the Slytherin -something Fields- and frowned. He glared back at her.

"What?" he said sullenly.

"Are you even going to deny it?" Hermione asked, her annoyance growing.

"No."

Hermione sighed. "Fine. Twenty points from both your houses, and I'm going to take you to see your heads of house. Everybody back inside now."

The kids gathered around slowly turned and headed up the steps into the castle, talking quietly amongst themselves.

The two boys, Perkins and Fields, walked silently beside Hermione back into the castle. She half expected them to start fighting again, but they remained sullen as they headed first to see Professor McGonagall.

After explaining to her what had happened, Hermione left with Fields, feeling it best that they not witness the wrath of McGonagall.

As she and Fields headed next to see Severus, Fields began muttering to himself and Hermione caught two choice words.

"I don't much care about what your father says and if you ever call me that again, I'll-"

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

Hermione stopped short, almost running smack into Professors Snape and Vector. She gazed up at Severus, taking a step back.

"Uh, nothing. I caught Fields here in a fight with another student. I already took the other boy to see his head of house, and I wanted to leave Fields to you."

"Thank you, Miss Granger." Severus scowled briefly at Fields before looking back at Hermione.

"Is there anything else?"

"I'd, uh, like to talk with you later," Hermione said, uncomfortably aware of both Professor Vector and Fields watching her. "About an assignment."

"After dinner then," Severus replied. Hermione nodded and turned to leave, glancing back to see Severus and Fields disappear around the corner, Professor Vector having gone back into the staffroom.

She found Harry and Ron in the Gryffindor common room, playing wizard chess. The three of them wiled away the afternoon playing chess, alternating players with each game.

Hermione's mood had improved by the time dinner came around and the three of them walked into the hall together.

As the meal progressed, however, worry began to eat at Hermione, as Severus wasn't up at the staff table and had yet to show up.

Her appetite gone, Hermione excused herself and left the hall, walking quickly to the dungeons.

The office was empty and so Hermione went down to his chambers.

"Severus?" She didn't want to think that he'd been summoned so soon after his heart attack, but it was all too obvious in the silence that answered her call.

She was prepared to wait for him when suddenly the embers in the fireplace roared to life, turning green. A moment later, Severus stumbled out, falling to his knees.

Hermione rushed over to him, dropping down beside him.

"Oh, God, Severus," she murmured, placing a hand on his cheek and turning his head so she could see his face. He looked surprised to see her, and looked as though he wanted to speak, but then began to cough violently.

Hermione left his side only to get him a glass of water, helping him sit up properly to drink it. He was bruised and battered, but refused to let Hermione treat his wounds.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" he whispered, and Hermione almost laughed, despite the tears in her eyes. The corners of his mouth rose in a smirk and Hermione leaned forward to kiss him.

* * *

A/N: I know this took a while, my apologies :) Got distracted by other ideas and that blasted thing called school. Chapter 8 will follow soon enough :) Still writing it of course, but yes. Reviews are like pennies from heaven. 


	8. A solution

A/N: I don't think there's a whole lot to say about this chapter... just read and review :) Chapter 9 should hopefully be along... before too long

* * *

Hermione awoke the next morning in her own bed, although not by her own choice had she returned to her room. She had wanted to stay with Severus, to make sure he was okay, but he had reminded her that the next day would be Monday. Reluctantly she had left him, kissing him once more and making him swear he'd stay in bed.

She smiled now as she got out of bed and prepared for the day. She was still concerned about her family, but a part of her knew they'd be safe.

Hermione ran a brush through her hair, checked her bag for her homework, and left her room, heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. Glancing up at the staff table, she saw Dumbledore talking to a less than interested Severus, who seemed to be contemplating his breakfast. Hermione wondered if he was alright but he glanced up and gave her the briefest of smiles before looking over at Dumbledore.

Hermione sat down as Severus nodded at Dumbledore.

"Yes, he summoned me again last night."

"And yet he makes no demands of you?" Dumbledore frowned slightly and Severus glanced back out at Hermione, watching as she talked with her friends.

"I do as I'm told," Severus said, lowering his voice, "and I go where he tells me. He has yet to seriously take advantage of my position here, only to occasionally ask me if Potter is indeed still here."

Dumbledore's frown deepened and Severus looked at him.

"Perhaps he's expecting you to stash the boy away."

"Perhaps," Dumbledore agreed, his gaze troubled as it turned to Harry.

Severus sighed and stood. "I have to get ready for class," he muttered, excusing himself and leaving through the staff door.

He stalked through his classes as normal, the only difference being that he looked forward to his N.E.W.T. class, if only to see Hermione.

For her part, Hermione acted as she normally did, copying down his instructions and silently arranging his ingredients in the order that they would be used.

He signaled for the class to being and sat down at his desk to grade the homework that had been handed in at the beginning of class.

The students worked in near silence until Severus glanced at his watch, marked his final grade, capped his ink bottle, and stood.

"You should all be on or past step four, so stabilize your potions and _carefully_ place them in the storage closet, then come up as I call your name and collect your papers."

When Hermione came for her paper, Severus carefully pointed his wand at her pocket, nodding briefly at her as she turned and walked away.

He watched her closely as she packed her things up, stuffing her working quill into her pocket. And then she paused, frowning slightly as she glanced down at the pocket. The frown became a smile and she looked up quickly, making eye contact with Severus for just a second before looking over at Neville, who had commanded her attention.

The bell rang shortly after and the students filed from the room, Hermione glancing back at Severus as she left with her friends.

They separated at the entrance to Gryffindor tower, Hermione heading to her room to drop her things off before dinner.

As she dropped her bag to the floor, she reached in her pocket again, smiling as she pulled out the perfectly formed white rose. Severus had put it there, she didn't doubt that, and her stomach fluttered as she brushed the soft petals.

"Hermione!" a faint voice called from outside her room. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah," she called back, setting the rose gently on the desk, pulling off her robes, and leaving the room to walk with Harry and Ron to dinner.

As they sat down at the Gryffindor table and started loading up their plates, Hermione glanced up and down the table and frowned.

"Where's Dean? And Seamus?" she asked, looking across the table at Harry and Ron. Ron frowned slightly and shook his head.

"I dunno. McGonagall took him with her as we were going into the common room. Seamus went with them."

As if on cue, Seamus entered the hall, looking distraught. Spotting Hermione, Harry, and Ron, he walked over to them, taking the seat beside Hermione.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, turning in her seat to face him.

"McGonagall said his house had been destroyed," replied Seamus, his face white. Hermione gasped and Ron dropped his fork with a loud clatter.

"Is his family okay?" Harry asked, setting his own fork down.

"McGonagall said she wasn't sure. An Auror was there to take Dean." Seamus was visibly shaken and Hermione placed a comforting hand on his back; she knew he and Dean were very close.

Having lost their appetites, Hermione, Harry and Ron stood and walked with Seamus back to the common room.

"I'm sure his family is fine," Hermione said bracingly. Seamus nodded.

"I hope so."

"How about some Exploding Snap?" Ron suggested. "I'll run upstairs and get the deck."

The four of them played a rather half-hearted game, barely smiling when the deck exploded and singed only one of Ron's eyebrows.

Hermione went to her room to get her homework and soon after the boys followed suit; homework was better than worrying more and more about Dean and his family.

When Neville entered the common room and asked why they hadn't been at dinner, Hermione told him and his face grew ashen.

He joined the four of them in waiting and the hours stretched by; soon the other students began filtering away to bed and by midnight, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Neville were alone.

Even Hermione had given up on homework by this time, as the worry ate away at her and she sat on the couch in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames. Beside her, Neville kept dozing off until his head dropped right onto Hermione's shoulder and he began to snore lightly. Hermione was debating whether or not she should wake him when the door to the common room opened and Dean and McGonagall entered.

Hermione stood quickly, waking Neville, who sat up with a snort, noticed Dean, and got to his feet as well.

Dean and McGonagall both looked surprised to see the five of them still up.

"Seamus told us," Hermione said in a small voice.

"We were worried," Harry added as he and the other boys stood to come stand next to Hermione.

"Is everything alright?" Neville finished. Dean smiled faintly, though he still looked troubled.

"They weren't home when it happened," Dean replied. "They're all safe. But our house is gone." He frowned slightly. "I wanted to stay, but mum said there wasn't any point, that they were fine and I shouldn't miss school."

Hermione sighed, relieved, as did the others, and some of the tension left the room.

"I think you should all head to bed now," McGonagall said gently. "It's late." Nodding briefly at them, she left the common room.

"Thanks," Dean murmured when she had gone, gazing around at the five of them.

"We couldn't not be worried," Hermione said softly, hugging Dean. He smiled at her and then at the others. They all said their good nights then and the boys headed for their dormitory while Hermione left for her room.

* * *

The next day, during afternoon break, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were seated in the Great Hall, as it had begun to snow again outside.

Hermione was immersed in a rune translation and Ron was scribbling away on his Defense Against the Dark Arts homework. The only difference between their feverish work was that Hermione's had been assigned that morning and wasn't due for two days; Ron was rushing to finish his before class.

Hermione broke her concentration momentarily to look up at Ron, gazing at him beadily.

"You know, if you'd done that in the four days you had to do it, you wouldn't be so stressed right now."

Harry snickered into his Charms book and Ron grunted.

"Don't nag me, Hermione," he mumbled. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to her translation.

Not too long after, a bell rang, signaling the end of break. Ron sighed and scribbled a final few bits on his parchment before blowing heavily on it and rolling it up, following Harry and Hermione from the Great Hall and up to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

As Professor Rutland spoke, Hermione only half listened, her mind on the rose up in her room and Severus. What with the concern over Dean and his family, she hadn't gone to see him and as there was no Potions today, Hermione found herself missing him.

"Miss Granger?" Professor Rutland said, breaking into Hermione's daydream. "Do you have an answer for us?"

"Every six weeks," Hermione replied automatically, having vaguely heard the question.

"Very good, five points to Gryffindor."

The professor continued with his lecture and Hermione sank back into her thoughts, scribbling a note down here and there.

After dinner that night, Hermione changed from her school clothes into jeans and a long sleeved shirt and made her way down to the dungeons. She slipped into the Potions classroom unnoticed and went back to Severus's office to head down to his chambers.

He wasn't there when she arrived, but she knew he was still up in the Great Hall and would probably have hall duty.

Selecting a title from his numerous bookshelves, Hermione situated herself on the couch, the large book open in her lap.

She didn't know quite when she fell asleep but she was aware of when she awoke sometime later when Severus removed the book from her lap.

"How long have you been down here?" he asked, reshelving the book.

"Since after dinner." Hermione sat up and stretched, looking up at Severus.

"I had miscreant duty," he said, coming over to sit beside her.

"Miscreant?" Hermione repeated, smirking. Severus looked at her, mildly amused.

"Thank you for the rose," Hermione said softly and Severus smiled as though pleased with himself. Hermione grinned and kissed him.

"I suppose I should go. I just missed you."

Severus nodded and kissed her again. "Good night then."

Hermione smiled at him as she left the room, heading through the silent castle back up to her own room.

* * *

Before long, Hermione had begun spending more and more time in Severus's chambers at night, doing her own homework or helping him grade papers.

January faded into February with no noticeable change in the weather and Hermione continued to slip away to Severus.

A week before Valentine's Day, Hermione was on her stomach on Severus's bed, her Defense Against the Dark Arts book open in front of her and her quill poised over her parchment.

Her essay wasn't going to write itself, but her mind was elsewhere, the words in the book blurred as her eyes unfocused.

"Is something wrong?" Severus asked, looking over at Hermione from where he sat on the couch, grading papers.

"What?" Hermione murmured, blinking and looking back at Severus.

"Normally you're scribbling away by now, getting small ink spots on my sheets, but so far, it sounds like all you've written is your name. So what's wrong?"

Hermione sighed and set down her quill, rubbing the spot between her eyes.

"That poor Ravenclaw's family," she murmured. Severus set down his own quill and nodded.

"Yes," he agreed softly, turning his eyes to the fireplace.

"I've been thinking about it all afternoon," Hermione continued. "Ever since the meeting."

Severus glanced at Hermione. Perhaps it hadn't been particularly wise for Dumbledore to allow the head students to attend the meeting about the Ravenclaw girl's family, as the head boy, also a Ravenclaw, had turned a deathly pale color when he heard what had happened; it seemed he and the girl were friends and at the end of the meeting, Hermione had pulled the boy aside and whispered a few words to him. He nodded, though he still looked rather ill, and thanked her as he walked from the room.

Hermione followed soon after, looking worried and she stared at Severus now with the same expression.

"Are you worried about your family?" he asked quietly.

"Of course I am," Hermione replied, sitting up on the bed and crossing her legs Indian style. "The girl's parents were Muggles, how can I not be concerned?"

Severus capped his ink bottle and walked over to sit beside Hermione on the bed, pulling the edge of the sheet from her hands before she ripped it, she was wringing it so hard.

"I'll talk with Dumbledore tomorrow and we'll see about getting protection for your parents."

Hermione continued to look worried and Severus took her hands in his, raising them to his lips. She smiled slightly and leaned forward, fitting into Severus's arms like it was the most natural thing in the world.

* * *

The next day, as Hermione and the others were learning complex cleansing charms in Charms, Professor McGonagall entered the room, striding to Professor Flitwick's desk. They spoke briefly and then Flitwick nodded, glancing over at the table where Ron, Hermione, and Harry were working. The classroom fell silent and Ron and Harry stiffened next to Hermione as McGonagall approached their table; Hermione felt as though her stomach was full of ice.

"Please come with me, Miss Granger. There's nothing wrong," McGonagall added, correctly reading the fearful look on Hermione's face. "The Headmaster wants to see you."

Hermione nodded, feeling only slightly relieved as she gathered her things and followed McGonagall from the room.

They walked silently and soon reached the gargoyle entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office. McGonagall muttered the password and together they stepped onto the revolving staircase.

When they reached the top, McGonagall pushed open the door and Hermione gasped at what she saw.

"Mum! Dad!" she exclaimed. They turned and smiled at her, coming to hug her. Dumbledore was standing behind his desk and Hermione noticed Severus standing off to the side.

"Please, everyone, sit," Dumbledore said, conjuring up three more chairs to add to the two already present. McGonagall took the chair closest to Dumbledore, while Hermione sat between her parents. Severus situated himself on the other side of Hermione's father, casting a sidelong glance at the man and shifting very slightly in his seat; all eyes turned to Dumbledore as he sat behind his desk.

"I'm sure Hermione has fully informed you of the situation with our world and Lord Voldemort?" Dumbledore began, gazing at Hermione and her parents.

Mr. Granger nodded, his glasses glinting as they caught the light of the candle on Dumbledore's desk.

"Yes, she's told us plenty," he replied.

"And has she told you about Voldemort's attacks on Muggles and the families of Muggle-born witches and wizards?"

Hermione's father nodded again and Dumbledore glanced at Severus.

"Professor Snape has been acting as a spy for our side, and is fairly close to Voldemort. Severus?"

Severus cleared his throat, sitting up a little straighter.

"Lord Voldemort has expressed an interest in harming those particularly close to Harry Potter, and Miss Granger, as one of Mr. Potter's closest friends, is an especially prime target, owing to the fact that she is not of pure blood lineage. That is, a wizard father and a witch mother. Voldemort and his supporters express a strong hatred of Muggle-borns and their families, and attacks on Muggle-borns and their families have been slowly but steadily increasing." Severus paused here a moment, glancing at Dumbledore. "To be blunt, Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Severus continued, "your lives are in danger."

Hermione heard her mother's breath hitch and squeezed her hand.

"Hermione is safe here," Dumbledore said gently, "but we feel it would be best if the two of you went into hiding. When Hermione finishes term, she will be properly taken care of, but will not be able to join you."

Mr. Granger frowned. "How come?"

"As important as Harry is, Hermione will also play a vital role in the destruction of Voldemort," Dumbledore replied softly.

Hermione's parents remained silent and Dumbledore stood.

"Perhaps if best we leave you to discuss things," he murmured. Severus and McGonagall followed him from the room and Hermione's parents rounded on her.

"What does he mean, you're a vital part?" her father asked.

"I'm not sure, but I'm not going to doubt him." Hermione looked back and forth between her parents.

"Please do it. I can't bear the thought of Voldemort and his cronies harming you."

"How exactly would we go into hiding?" Mrs. Granger asked. "Wouldn't they just find us?"

Hermione quickly explained the Fidelus Charm.

"Your location would only be revealed if the Secret Keeper chooses to reveal it," she finished. "You'll be perfectly safe."

"But what about you?" Mrs. Granger asked gently.

"I'll be safe. Trust me." Hermione tried to smile at her parents as she fought the tight feeling in her throat.

"What if we refuse?" Mr. Granger said suddenly, standing. "What if we just take you home, right now, away from here, away from Harry."

"John, please," Mrs. Granger began quellingly. Hermione was shaking her head.

"I'd be in more danger at home. _You'd_ be in more danger with me there. This is what's best, Dad."

Mr. Granger's expression softened as he looked down at his daughter.

"Look at what all of this has done to you," he said softly, sadly. "You've grown up too fast."

"Oh, Daddy," Hermione breathed. "I'm still me. I'm still your little girl. I'll _always_ be your little girl. But I have to stay, and you have to go. This is my responsibility, to help Harry and everyone else, and I can't pull you both down with me."

Mrs. Granger gave a quiet sob, still seated beside Hermione, and Hermione looked at her.

"Don't cry, Mum. It's not good bye forever."

Mrs. Granger pulled Hermione into a tight hug and then looked up at Mr. Granger. Hermione looked up too.

"You really trust this Dumbledore fellow?" he asked gruffly. Hermione nodded.

"Alright then. We'll go."

Hermione smiled and stood, wrapping her arms around her father.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She called the professors back in and told Dumbledore the decision.

"Very well. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, if you'd like to eat dinner here with Hermione tonight, while we make arrangements for you both..." Dumbledore smiled gently and Hermione's parents nodded.

"Splendid. Hermione's room, perhaps? I'm sure you'd like to see it. I'll notify the house-elves."

Hermione nodded and led her parents from Dumbledore's office.

Mrs. Granger delighted in seeing Hermione's room while Mr. Granger just stared around, taking it all in: the bits of parchment on the desk, quills and ink bottles alongside. Hermione's spare robes hanging on the closet door. Several other small touches that would've told him this was his daughter's room had he not been told.

Hermione took her parents on a tour of the castle, up to the Astronomy Tower and down to the dungeons, outside to see the lake and greenhouses, still covered in snow, and then they returned to her room for a quiet dinner.

Not long after they finished eating, Dumbledore entered the room.

"It's time," he said gently. "Hermione, you'll have to stay here."

Hermione nodded and Dumbledore stepped outside to allow Hermione and her parents to properly say their goodbyes.

Hermione hugged them both and told them she loved them.

"Hopefully it won't be too long," she said bracingly. Mr. and Mrs. Granger nodded, then they both kissed her before turning and leaving the room.

Hermione stared at the door for a moment before sinking onto her bed. She was still sitting there hours later when she heard a voice outside in the hall.

"Of course I don't know the password, you silly twit," the voice snapped. The portrait called to Hermione, sounding highly affronted.

"Professor Snape is here to see you, dear."

Hermione glanced at the clock, startled to see that it was nearly midnight.

"Let him in," she called back. The door swung open and Severus entered the room, muttering something about portraits not knowing their job. Hermione had to smile at his irritation. He sighed and looked at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, sitting beside her on the bed.

"Yeah." Hermione sighed. "I assume everything went okay?"

Severus nodded. "It did."

"And it would probably be foolish to ask where they are."

Severus nodded again. "It would. I don't even know, and if I did, I couldn't tell you."

Hermione said nothing, just scooted closer to Severus and rested her head on his shoulder. His arm wound its way around her waist and he kissed the top of her head, settling into the silence.


	9. Draco comes into his own

A/N: This chapter ended up being much longer than I originally intended it to be... hopefully that's not a bad thing :P Chapter 10 may be a little slower in coming, since I seem to be having "Nothing and Everything" overload (it took me about a week to get up the urge to format this to post); I also have exams next week, and I start Summer Session at the beginning of May. But no worries, I have zero intentions of abandoning this story, and Chapter 10 will be coming before too long :)

* * *

Hermione's heart felt lighter now that she knew her parents were safe and when Harry and Ron trudged into the Great Hall for dinner the next night after Quidditch practice, she presented them with study schedules. Ron groaned and Harry looked at her, bemused.

"Hermione, N.E.W.T.s aren't until June," he said, sounding mildly exasperated. Ron shook his head, dishing vegetable stew onto his and Harry's plates.

"Yes, and it's time to begin studying," Hermione replied loftily. Ron rolled his eyes.

"It's four months away," he said reasonably, picking up his spoon and staring at Hermione.

"And knowing you two, you won't crack a book until the week beforehand," Hermione snapped back. "Look, I've left you plenty of time for your Quidditch practices and I've marked the games on the schedule, see?" She pointed to Harry's, where she'd marked each Quidditch practice and game with a small Snitch whose wings fluttered on the parchment. Harry raised an eyebrow and nudged Ron.

"This isn't so bad, really," Harry said approvingly. Ron looked at his own and grudgingly nodded his agreement.

"I suppose so."

Hermione grinned, pleased, and turned her attention to her own dinner.

Dinner continued on, the hall noisy with the chatter of students and teachers alike. And then suddenly a hush began to fall over the students; Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked up to see a large owl swoop down and drop a letter in front of Dumbledore.

"Oh no," Hermione whispered, almost inaudibly. The only time owls arrived at dinner with letters for Dumbledore was when something horrible had happened.

Whispering filled the hall as Dumbledore opened the letter and leaned over to Professor McGonagall, speaking quickly and quietly. He then stood and the hall fell silent as every student watched him; it was as if everyone was holding their breath.

Dumbledore stepped down from the staff table and approached the Hufflepuff table, the letter in hand.

When he placed a gentle hand on the shoulder of a third year girl, she dissolved into sobs. Several students began to cry silently as well, Hermione and Ginny among them.

Dumbledore coaxed the girl into standing as Professor Sprout hurried down to the table; wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders and speaking very softly, she led the girl from the hall. Sniffling could be heard throughout the hall and Dumbledore gazed around.

"Thus ends the meal," he said quietly. "If you'll all retire to your common rooms." He looked weary as he turned to walk back up to the staff table.

Chairs scraped across the floor as the students all stood and filed silently from the hall.

Ron had his arm around Ginny's shoulders as the four of them walked slowly up the grand staircase. Hermione walked next to Harry, feeling very depressed. But if she was depressed, it was nothing compared to the Hufflepuffs heading for their own common room. Most of them were crying, or at the very least, highly shaken up.

Tears rose again in Hermione's eyes, of frustration and anger and sadness. How she hated all of this, the deaths and such disregard for human life.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked softly, noting Hermione's pale face.

"Yeah." Hermione forced a smile as they reached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.

"I'm just gonna go to my room," Hermione murmured, turning and starting up the hall.

Anger still coursed through her body as she dressed for bed and sat down to try and work some more on her rune translation. Two hours passed and Hermione had made almost no progress, as her mind kept wandering to images of destroyed homes and families torn apart.

Glancing at the clock -almost ten o'clock- Hermione stood resolutely, pulling her bathrobe on over her pajamas, and left her room, her sock-clad feet silent as she made her way down to the dungeons.

Severus was in his chambers, staring moodily into the fire.

"I want to ask you something," Hermione said as she entered. Severus looked up, startled.

"You shouldn't have come alone," he murmured.

"Who was I going to come with?" Hermione asked, faltering slightly.

"I just meant the halls may not always be safe at night."

Hermione waved this concern away impatiently.

"I have to know." She stared at Severus for a moment. His eyes had turned back to the fireplace and had Hermione cared enought to notice at this particular moment, she would've seen his sadness.

"Tell me the truth. Did you kill Muggle-borns?"

Severus looked at Hermione, again startled. "What?"

"When you were Voldemort's... whatever, did you kill Muggle-borns?" There was a wild look in Hermione's eyes as she stared at Severus.

"Hermione, it doesn't really-"

"Answer me. Did you murder their families? Were you the one who sent the Dark Mark into the sky to tell those who would come to find the ruins that you had been there?" Furious tears had filled Hermione's eyes and Severus stared at her.

"Hermione, what point are you trying to prove?" he asked, rising and looking wearily at Hermione.

"I just... I have to know."

"Yes," Severus whispered.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"No." Severus shook his head. "I hated it."

"I just couldn't stand thinking about you working for Voldemort and doing all those horrible things and actually _enjoying_ it..." Hermione sniffed, obviously physically and emotionally exhausted.

"Hermione, you should go up to bed," Severus said gently, taking a step towards her.

Hermione frowned. "You don't want me here?"

"I love you, Hermione, but I'd really like to be alone." Exasperation tinged Severus's words and for the first time, Hermione noticed the letter clenched in his hand.

"What's happened?" Hermione asked, blinking away her tears.

Severus sighed, running his other hand over his face.

"My mother..." Severus trailed off, turning back to the fire. Hermione remained silent, staring at Severus's back.

"She died," he continued quietly and Hermione gasped softly.

"Severus," she began, taking a step towards him.

"She's always been in and out of St. Mungo's, and she didn't make it out this time." Severus sat down heavily in his chair and Hermione started towards him.

"Hermione, please," Severus said, holding up his hand. She stopped short.

"Just... leave me be, okay? We'll talk later." Severus looked away and Hermione nodded dumbly, turning slowly and leaving the room, feeling even more miserable than she had when she'd entered.

She slept poorly that night and the next, her dreams full of masked and hooded men torturing people and Severus mourning beside a casket containing, not his mother, but Hermione herself. This disturbing image shocked Hermione awake on more than one occasion and by Monday morning, she hadn't gotten much sleep. Looking around at her fellow students as she sat down to breakfast, however, she realized she wasn't alone in looking pale and tired, so no one asked her if anything was wrong.

Valentine's Day dawned cold and wet and it wasn't until midway through the day that Hermione even realized what day it was, finally taking the time to notice shy boys giving cards and such to giggling girls. It made her smile, if only briefly, as she made her way down the dungeons for potions.

The class was queued up outside the door and Hermione went to join Harry, Ron, and Neville. Malfoy was talking with his Slytherin cronies, Pansy Parkinson making doe eyes at him. Hermione rolled her eyes, leaning against the wall between Ron and Neville.

"Hey, Granger," Malfoy called, separating himself from his groupies. Hermione looked at him warily.

"What?" she muttered.

"It's Valetine's Day. Got yourself a boyfriend yet?"

"Bugger off, Malfoy," Hermione snapped, looking away from him.

"No one desperate enough to go out with you? Not even Longbottom... I suppose even he's got standards."

Neville sputtered beside Hermione, apparently surprised he'd been dragged into the conversation. Ron made to raise his wand, but Hermione stopped him.

"You know what, Malfoy? Fifty points from Slytherin," Hermione said acidly.

Malfoy's face pinkened as he took a step towards Hermione. Harry and Ron stepped protectively in front of her.

"You disgusting little-"

"Remember fourth year, Malfoy?" Harry said, pulling out his wand. "What a wonderful ferret you made?"

"Yeah," Ron added. "I'm sure there's a potion that calls for white ferret tail."

"Or paws," Harry continued.

"Maybe even the whole ferret," Neville contributed, his voice shaking only slightly.

"We're not picky. Finish your thought, and we'll be sure to find just the right potion for you," Harry finished, his hand tightening around his wand.

Malfoy glared, but said no more as the classroom door opened. Severus quietly took in the scene before him: Harry and Ron shoulder to shoulder in front of Hermione and Malfoy standing back beside Pansy, his cheeks pink and his lip curling.

"What's going on out here?" Severus asked softly.

"The Mudblood took points from me," Malfoy spat. Severus's hand twitched convulsively and a warning look from Hermione was just about all that kept him from wrapping that hand around Malfoy's pathetic neck.

"Detention, Mr. Malfoy. And a further twenty points from Slytherin on top of what Miss Granger took," Severus snapped instead.

Malfoy sputtered disbelievingly. "But-"

"I don't believe the matter is up for discussion." Severus glowered at Malfoy before stepping aside. "All of you, in."

The class filed by Severus, glancing furtively at Malfoy, who appeared to be having a one-sided contest of wills as he stared furiously at Severus.

"Sev-"

"Do not speak to me as if you are equal to me," Severus hissed with such vehemence that Malfoy recoiled and the class looked around at him.

"In," Severus continued dangerously, "or it'll be another twenty points."

Knowing better than to continue arguing, Malfoy hitched his bag onto his shoulder and stalked into the classroom. Severus followed, slamming the door behind him; the class jumped and turned back to their tables, not even daring to whisper.

"Eyes front," Severus snapped unnecessarily as he approached his desk.

Later that night, Hermione was on her belly on Severus's bed, this time working on her Arithmancy homework.

"Just once," Severus muttered, "I'd like to wipe that smug look off his face."

"Wouldn't we all," Hermione murmured, scribbling out a miscalculation and starting over.

"What he said-"

"Severus," Hermione said sharply, sighing and slapping her quill onto her parchment. "Malfoy's been calling me that for six years now. The sting has long worn off. So would you _please_ stop muttering about it?"

Hermione picked up her quill again. "Don't look at me like that, Severus."

He scowled and set his own quill down. "Do you know about Malfoy?"

"What about Malfoy?" Hermione replied absently, finally achieving the correct answer and circling it.

"He's a Death Eater."

"Lucius-"

"Not Lucius, Hermione," Severus said, looking at her slightly annoyed. Hermione stopped writing and looked over at Severus.

"You mean... Draco?" Hermione's expression was surprised. "_Already_?"

Severus nodded grimly. "Lucius did it. A bloody _birthday present_," he said contemptuously.

Hermione sat up quickly, upsetting her ink bottle. She impatiently cleaned the spreading stain from the sheets with her wand and looked at Severus.

"There's an _active_ Death Eater here?"

"Dumbledore knows, and I don't think Draco's fool enough to attempt anything under the headmaster's nose." Severus sighed. "Dumbledore didn't see why he shouldn't finish his schooling."

Hermione scowled. "I think Dumbledore is giving Draco far too much credit."

"Even so." Severus stood and fixed himself a drink. Hermione watched him closely.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Severus looked up at her, surprised.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"Just checking. Don't want you having any other attacks. Of any kind."

Severus gave Hermione a look as she turned back to her Arithmancy homework.

By a quarter to twelve, Hermione had fallen asleep, her arms crossed over her textbook and her head resting on them. Severus entered the last few grades into the grade book and stood, approaching the bed and gently shaking Hermione awake.

She looked up at him sleepily and he smirked, rubbing a spot on her left cheek with his thumb.

"You've got ink on your face."

Hermione groaned and sat up. "I'll wash it off later. What time is it?"

"Almost midnight," Severus answered, gently pushing Hermione's hair from her face.

"Hm, stop that, you'll make me want to stay." Hermione smiled and Severus kissed her.

Hermione gathered her things together, shoving her books into her bag and digging around in the sheets for her quill.

Severus walked her up to the hallway and kissed her good night.

"Oh, and Hermione?" he murmured. She turned to look at him.

"Happy Valentine's Day."

Hermione grinned in a bemused sort of way and didn't move, as though mulling something over. Finally, she stepped up to Severus and kissed him again.

"I hate you sometimes," she murmured, smiling slightly. "Good night."

Severus smirked as he watched her walk down the hallway and disappear around the corner.

Hermione entered her room a few minutes later, dropping her bag to the floor and kicking off her shoes. Undoing the clasp on her robes, she turned and stopped short, staring at her desk; a smile slowly spread on her face and she pulled her robes completely off, approaching the desk; situated on top of it was a vase of roses, deep red this time.

Hermione sank into her chair, plucking the small card from within the flowers. It read simply "I love you" in Severus's recognizable handwriting.

Inhaling the scent of the blooms, Hermione smiled again and stood to finish preparing for bed.

* * *

February ended, taking its chill along with it, to be replaced by a slightly warmer, if windy, March.

Most of the students abandoned outside study for fear of papers blowing away, thus making the Great Hall a very noisy place again.

To Hermione's great surprise, and pleasure, Harry and Ron were actually following their study schedules.

"Better than you nagging us all the time," Ron said good-naturedly when Hermione expressed her surprise. Sticking his schedule under her nose, Ron pointed to March 9, where's Hermione's drawing of the Snitch beat its wings lazily.

"Are you going to come?" he asked. "We're playing Slytherin."

"Yeah, Hermione, the season's almost over," Harry added.

Hermione looked at the both of them, biting her lip. In the weeks since Severus's revelation about Draco, Hermione had not yet told Harry and Ron. She wasn't quite sure how to explain just how she knew and she finally nodded.

"Of course I'll come."

Harry and Ron beamed, returning to their Transfiguration assignments. Hermione sighed inwardly, gazing around at the many chattering students, people-watching until the bell rang to signal the end of the break.

That Saturday, Hermione stood with a group of Gryffindors, cheering as they watched the game.

Hermione cheered particularly loudly as Ginny scored and Dean Thomas, who had replaced Lee Jordan as commentator in their sixth year, announced the new score, Gryffindor leading by twenty points.

The Slytherin team seemed to sulk as a whole and Hermione kept her eye on Malfoy as he circled high overhead. She could see Harry ignoring him as he too flew slowly, scanning the field in his search for the Snitch.

Hermione wasn't quite sure what she expected Malfoy to do, but it wasn't what happened next: Both Harry and Draco were suddenly hurtling towards her and she leapt the side with the other students around her. Harry pulled out of his dive spectacularly, the Snitch clutched in his hand. Draco on the other hand crashed into the stands. The groans from those around him were far surpassed by the cheers from the rest of the stadium as Dean announced Gryffindor's victory.

Hermione reached down, grabbing Draco's arm to help him up. He pulled away from her and spun around, his arm swinging out. The back of his hand connected solidly with Hermione's cheek and she gasped, stumbling back into Seamus, who put his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

"Don't you ever touch me again, Mudblood," Draco spat, picking up his broom. Throwing one last contemptuous look at Hermione, he kicked off from the stands and flew down to the field.

Hermione looked around, feeling her cheeks reddening and trying very hard not to let tears fill her eyes; Lavender and Parvati were both watching her with wide eyes, Lavender's hand over her mouth. Colin and Dennis Creevey looked simply frightened and Neville was pale.

"Hermione," he whispered. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Hermione answered quickly, stepping away from Seamus, who was as pale as Neville. "Come on, we'll be the last ones left," she added. Indeed, the stands around them had very nearly emptied and Hermione started down the steps.

When they entered the common room, Hermione could see Harry's head above the crowd and knew he was looking for her. She made her way over to him and he seized her immediately, pulling her into the corner.

"Harry, stop," she said as he grabbed her chin and turned her head to look at her cheek.

"I saw him hit you," Harry muttered darkly, releasing Hermione's chin. "I would've hexed him nine ways to Sunday if the entire school hadn't been there to witness."

"Where's Ron? And Ginny?" Hermione asked, rubbing her chin slightly.

"Ron got hit in the arm with a bludger. Madam Pomfrey's got him. Ginny went with him. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," Hermione replied shortly.

"You've already got a bruise," Harry said, running a light finger along Hermione's cheekbone. She winced and he pulled back.

"Terrific," Hermione muttered, looking at her reflection in the window. Ron and Ginny entered then and, spotting Harry and Hermione, made their way over to them.

"Nice dive there, Harry- blimey, Hermione! What happened to you?" Ron exclaimed, reaching up.

"Touch my face and so help me God," Hermione snapped, pulling out her wand. Ron frowned and took a step back. Harry explained to Ron and Ginny what had happened, and when he finished, Ron's ears were bright red and Ginny looked simply furious.

"Are you going to tell someone?" Ginny asked forcefully. "McGonagall? Dumbledore? Snape?"

Hermione frowned at Ginny and the younger girl's expression softened as she realized her blunder. Fortunately, Ron didn't know Hermione's real reason for frowning and instead seized upon the opportunity to bash Severus.

"Why would she tell Snape? He's probably give Malfoy a pat on the back," Ron said grumpily. Harry, however, was gazing curiously at Hermione.

"I don't know, Ron, he did give Malfoy detention and took away points the other day for calling Hermione a... well, you know."

Ron shrugged, scowling. "One shining moment on an otherwise tarnished conscience. Forgive me if I don't think that's enough to redeem him."

Hermione, tired of the noise and the way Harry was looking at her, sighed.

"I'll see you all at dinner," she said, turning and leaving the room.

After dinner Severus took his turn at inspecting Hermione's cheek, his eyes glittering malevolently.

"Self-righteous little bastard," he muttered, smearing a cold, creamy substance on Hermione's cheek. Five minutes later, he wiped it away; the bruise was gone.

"So he just turned and hit you?" Severus asked, capping the cream and setting it on his nightstand.

"Well, yeah. But it could've been an accident." Even as Hermione said this, she didn't believe it and Severus gave her a look.

"Are you regressing? Don't be naive, Hermione, of course he meant to do it."

Hermione sighed and Severus sat down beside her on the bed. He opened his mouth to speak but suddenly froze.

"Dumbledore's coming."

Hermione looked at him, wide-eyed.

"How-"

"It doesn't matter, get up, get up." Severus grabbed Hermione's upper arm and shoved her unceremoniously into the dark bathroom, shutting the door rather calmly.

Frowing slightly, Hermione walked quietly to the door and pressed her ear against it.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Headmaster?" Severus said. Dumbledore sighed and Hermione could almost see the frown on his face.

"Mr. Malfoy. Apparently when he crashed into the stands today, Miss Granger went to help him up and he hit her. No one seems to know where Miss Granger is, but the incident was witnessed by a number of people and I don't think it's necessary to drag her into this."

"Indeed," Severus murmured. "And what would you like me to do?"

"Remove Mr. Malfoy fromt he Slytherin Quidditch team, of course," Dumbledore replied promptly.

"Sir, the season's almost over, surely you wouldn't deprive the team of its Seeker?"

Hermione frowned, annoyed at Severus's defense of Malfoy, however false it was.

"There is a reserve, Severus," Dumbledore said firmly. "Mr. Malfoy attacked another student-"

"He didn't _attack_ her, sir," Severus interrupted loudly.

"Call it what you like, Severus, but he cannot stay on the team." Dumbledore paused. "And besides," he continued, his voice growing louder as he neared the bathroom door, "I'm not sure it's wise to have an active Death Eater in such an accessible position to harm Harry."

Hermione took a step back from the door, barely breathing, her heart pounding in her ears.

"Very well, Headmaster," Severus said shortly. Hermione could see Dumbledore's shadow moving under the door and she held her breath, willing him to move away.

"Perhaps we'll go tell him now?" Severus pressed. Dumbledore moved away from the door.

"Yes. Perhaps now is best."

Hermione listened as Dumbledore and Severus left the room and let out her breath, sinking onto the edge of the bathtub, staring into the darkness of the room.

She waited for a few minutes before standing and very carefully opening the door. The room was very much deserted and Hermione quickly left through the door up to Severus's office, climbing the dark staircase and emerging from behind a bookcase.

She had nearly reached the door when it opened and Severus entered the room. Hermione sighed, casting an irritated look his way.

"That was fast," she muttered. Severus shrugged.

"We told Malfoy he was off the team, he threw a chair. Nothing we didn't expect."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Come back downstairs, Hermione, you don't need to leave."

"Two near heart attacks in one night is enough, I think," Hermione said. Severus smiled placatingly at her and moved towards her.

"Okay, okay," Hermione said, laughing, before Severus had a chance to really sway her.

They were still lying in bed at half past midnight, neither of them really inclined to get up. Severus's hand was resting on Hermione's stomach, tracing lazy circles around her belly button.

"I should go," Hermione murmured.

"Yes, well, what one should do and what one actually does are two different things," Severus replied, moving closer to Hermione and kissing her shoulder. She grinned at him.

"I shouldn't even be down here."

"But you are."

"Indeed I am."

Severus smirked and pressed his lips lightly to Hermione's jaw. She smiled indulgently and tilted her head back; Severus took the invitation, moving his lips to her neck. He slowly shifted position until he was poised above her. Hermione spread her legs, bringing Severus up to kiss her lips as he entered her.

The time was slow and deliberate, neither of them wanting to rush it; there's was no reason to.

"I really should go," Hermione whispered an hour later. Severus sighed into her hair, very lightly kissing her ear.

"I know." He moved over and Hermione sat up, gathering her clothes and dressing, Severus watching her. When she'd finished, she turned around and got on her knees on the bed, kissing Severus deeply.

"I love you."

Severus smiled, which was answer enough for Hermione. She grinned at him and crossed the room to the staircase.

At two in the morning, Hermione expected the hallways to be quite deserted and so when a rough hand grabbed her arm and slammed her against the wall, she was momentarily stunned. Draco Malfoy sneered at her, his wand out and pointed at her chest.

"You got me kicked off the Quidditch team."

"I didn't do anything," Hermione snapped, frowning. "You hit me. You deserved what you got."

A muscle in Draco's cheek twitched an his wand emitted a few green sparks. Hermione watched him warily, longing to reach for her own wand.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

"I want to get our dear professor up here, and since you seem to be fucking him, you've just made this easier for me."

Draco suddenly moved his wand from pointing at Hermione's chest to her side and fired a spell that shot by just below her rib cage, burning through her shirt and leaving a rather large gash on her skin. She cried out, clearly shocked, and pressed her fingers to the wound. They came back with blood on them and Hermione let out an angry shriek, gasping at the pain.

"You bastard!" she cried.

"Just know I could do worse," Draco hissed. Hermione glared at him, pressing her hand to the cut and her back to the wall.

The door finally opened and Severus stepped into the hall, looking around curiously for Hermione.

Draco grabbed her, pulling her to him and ignoring her gasp of pain.

"Professor," Draco said sardonically.

"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Severus said dangerously, taking a step towards Hermione and Draco. Malfoy tightened his grip on Hermione's arm, raising his wand.

"Just having a little fun." Draco stuck the tip of his wand in Hermione's hair, twirling a curl around it and yanking hard. Hermione cried out again and Severus's hand tightened around his wand.

"What would you like me to do to her, Severus?" Draco asked softly, staring at Severus.

"What do you mean?"

"C'mon, Severus, perfect opportunity here, we could do so many things to her. Even take her back to headquarters..."

"I want you to get your filthy hands off of her," Severus snarled.

"Are you sure? There's so many neat tricks they taught me. You never mentioned that before. Severus."

"Let her go, Malfoy," Severus said warningly, though he wasn't quite sure what he would do. Draco stared at him a moment, then any sign of emotion disappeared from his face and he shoved Hermione away from him; she stumbled and fell at Severus's feet, her hand still pressed to her side.

"This was a test," Draco said sharply. "You just failed." Draco turned and walked away to the Slytherin common room without so much as a backward glance.

Severus glared after him as he knelt down beside Hermione.

"Sit up," he said gently, helping Hermione to do so. He looked at her cut through the tear in her shirt, then raised his wand and healed the wound.

"Anything else?" he murmured. Hermione shook her head and Severus helped her to her feet.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your room."

Hermione nodded, afraid if she tried to speak she'd start to cry.

She and Severus walked in silence, not touching or looking at each other.

"Hermione," Severus began as they started down the corridor to her room.

"Good night, Severus," Hermione murmured, glancing up at him with tears in her eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but Hermione turned away from him, walking the rest of the way to her room and disappearing inside.

Severus cursed loudly as the mark on his arm burned sharply and he hit the wall with his fist, startling awake the sleeping witch in the portrait just to the right of where he'd hit. She reprimanded him angrily and Severus ignored her, sweeping away down the hall; he knew better than to argue with the portraits.

Once in his chambers he flooed to where Voldemort was currently hiding and immediately dropped to one knee before the skeletal figure.

"Get up," Voldemort hissed softly, halfway through Severus's declaration of devotion. Severus stopped speaking and stood, his hands clasped tightly behind his back.

"Draco has just told me some very interesting news," Voldemort continued. "It seems you still care for the Mudblood and are, shall we say, _closer_ than is necessary."

"A ploy, my Lord," Severus murmured immediately, his eyes downcast. "A way to get to Potter-"

"Liar," Voldemort said sharply and Severus fell silent again, contemplating his next move.

"Your insolence and disobedience will no longer be tolerated, Severus." Voldemort paused and Severus tensed. "Oh how you've fallen," Voldemort whispered. Severus looked up as Voldemort raised his wand. Realizing what was to happen, Severus dodged the Killing Curse, flinching slightly as the wall exploded behind him.

"How dare you!" Voldemort cried, standing quickly. Severus blocked the next curse and Stunned a Death Eater as he rushed into the room.

Severus ducked out of the room, collecting his thoughts rapidly in preparation of Disapparation.

Focusing on the gates of Hogwarts, he shut his eyes. There was an odd sensation, for just a second, of being weightless, and then he appeared at the gates. He all but ran up the drive to the castle door, relaxing only when he was within the castle walls.

Cursing softly to himself, Severus slowly made his way down to his chambers, rubbing his forehead and wondering how to explain this to Dumbledore.


	10. A horrible twist

A/N: It's been ages, hasn't it? Heh. What can I say, school got in the way. I had to go to summer session, for English, and essays beat my muse to a pulp. But ENC 1102 turned out to be much less of a challenge so my muse woke up. I won't say Chapter 11 will be coming very soon, but hopefully it'll be here much sooner than this one was. Anywho, enjoy! 

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"Headmaster," Severus murmured later at breakfast, "we must talk."

So talk, Severus," Dumbledore replied pleasantly, gazing around the Great Hall.

"Not here."

Dumbledore looked at him, frowning slightly at his urgency. "Is everything alright?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

Dumbledore nodded and stood, placing his napkin on the table.

"Very well then," he murmured, and he and Severus excused themselves.

"So what's so urgent, Severus?" Dumbledore asked a few minutes later when they had settled in his office.

"Apparently Draco Malfoy is Voldemort's new pet," Severus began, carefully choosing his words. "He sent Draco out last night. Maybe to attack just anybody, or maybe to specifically attack Miss Granger. I was in my office and I heard her shouts. I went to investigate and Draco had his wand pointed at her. He'd already hurt her."

Severus sat down to continue his story, as the rest of it was rather faithful to the real events, although he left out any mention of his relationship with Hermione.

"And then he tried to kill me," Severus finished quietly. Dumbledore looked so troubled that Severus almost felt guilty about lying to him about Hermione.

"And what about Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, surprising Severus.

"She was rather shaken when I left her, but I imagine she's alright now."

Dumbledore nodded, frowning.

"I trust I don't need to remind you to tread carefully, Severus."

Severus shook his head and left Dumbledore to his troubled thoughts.

-----

Hermione didn't come to him that night and Severus couldn't help but be concerned, which was why he crept up to her room very late that night, using the password she'd told him a few days before.

The room was dark when he entered; clearly she'd gone to bed already. He watched her sleep for a minute in the dim light which seemed to emanate from the room itself.

Severus decided to let her sleep and turned to go, but stopped suddenly when he thought he saw movement. Paranoia gripping his mind, he whipped out his wand and flipped the light on.

Hermione's sleepy cry of indignation only served to make him feel more foolish as he lowered his wand, which had been prepared to blast a hole through Hermione's robes.

"Severus?" Hermione murmured, blinking furiously in the light. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

"I, uh... I wanted to see how you were."

"At the moment? Blind and annoyed. Shut the light off."

Severus did so and went over to sit next to Hermione on the bed. She sat up, pushing loose strands of hair from her face. She looked at Severus.

"You wanted to see how I was?" she said finally. Severus nodded, looking back at her.

"You didn't come to see me. As it's something of a ritual now, I've come to expect it."

Hermione sighed but didn't respond. "Did Voldemort summon you?" she asked instead.

Severus nodded and told Hermione what had happened. When he finished, Hermione was staring at him, horrorstruck.

"Oh, Severus," she breathed. Severus reached for her hand.

"Don't look so frightened, Hermione," he said softly. Hermione snatched her hand from his.

"'Don't look so frightened'? Severus, he tried to _kill_ you." Hermione shook her head. "You can't stay here. You have to go into hiding or something."

Severus shook his head, his eyes hardening.

"No. I'm not leaving you here alone."

"Severus, I'm not alone. And besides, I'm safer here than you are."

Severus stood, his jaw set in a hard line. Hermione pushed the covers aside and approached him.

"Severus, you're no good to Dumbledore now that your cover is blown," Hermione said very gently, reaching up and touching his shoulder. He turned to face her and she placed her palm on his cheek. He took her hand, kissed her palm, and shook his head.

"I'm not going anywhere." He let go of her hand and left the room, leaving Hermione standing in the middle of the bedroom, staring at the door, the words to call him back dying in her throat.

Hermione was rather annoyed with Severus the next day and so she ignored him, which in turn annoyed Severus. But seeing as how Hermione wasn't coming to see him at night in their state of mutual annoyance, Severus needed a way to talk some sense into her.

The moment came that Thursday, as Severus called each student into his office to discuss their grade.

When Hermione entered, she sat primly in the chair in front of the desk and stared across at Severus.

"Hermione-"

"Severus, I don't need you to protect me. I've gone four days without seeing you and I'm still here," Hermione said defiantly. Severus was almost tempted to laugh and settled instead for a smirk.

"Is that why you've been ignoring me? To prove you don't need me to protect you?" he asked, leaning in his chair and weaving his fingers together on his stomach.

"Severus, please." Hermione leaned forward, the defiant look replaced by one of concern.

"Alright. I'll compromise," Severus said, straightening and gazing intently at Hermione. "If anything happens in relation to me and Voldemort and/or Death Eaters, I'll go straight to Dumbledore and have him send me away. Okay?"

Hermione nodded, still looking somewhat uneasy. She stood and was almost the door when she remembered what she was supposed to be in there for.

"My grade?" she asked. Severus glanced at the book and back up at her, deciding to humor her.

"You're fine."

Hermione grinned and left the room. Severus smiled to himself, thinking they were back on track.

When Hermione didn't show up again that night, however, Severus was confused and so he trekked up to her room again, waking her.

"This isn't going to become a habit, is it?" Hermione mumbled sleepily as she sat up.

Severus didn't answer, instead asking a question of his own.

"Why didn't you come down?"

Hermione sighed. "Severus, for all your snark and malevolence, you can sure act like a petulent child sometimes."

Severus stared at her and she sighed again. "You want the truth?"

"That'd be nice."

"I'm afraid to go down there," Hermione said softly. Severus frowned.

"Why?" he said, gently stroking the back of Hermione's hand with his thumb.

"Because of all that's happened with Voldemort. I don't want anything to happen to you. Or me."

"It's fine, Hermione. My fireplace has been disconnected from the Floo Network and there are new wards all over. It's safe."

Hermione tried to smile, but the doubt still fluttered in her stomach. She reached up and lightly touched Severus's cheek.

"Maybe tomorrow. Now can I sleep?"

Severus smiled slightly and kissed her. "Yeah."

Hermione watched him leave, then fell back against her pillows, going back to sleep almost immediately.

The next evening Hermione shook off her friends after dinner.

"I have to talk to Professor Snape about my recommendation," she lied. Ron and Harry bought it, each of them looking mildly ill.

"You both forgot about your recommendations, didn't you?" Hermione said knowingly, smiling slightly. They nodded, grinning sheepishly.

"I guess we'll see you later then," Harry said as he and Ron joined the mass of students climbing the steps.

Hermione joined the group of Slytherins, some of whom eyed her suspiciously but said nothing. Ever since Draco had left the school, the Slytherins had grown quiet, either because they'd looked up to him or, like most, they were only mean and spiteful due to his influence. Whatever it was, they had taken to looking sullenly about and glaring at a few select students, Hermione and her friends included.

Hermione left the group and pushed her way into the potions classroom.

She lifted the wards from the office and pried open the bookcase concealing the staircase to his chambers. She descended carefully, her hand on the wall to maintain her balance. She reached the door and pressed her against it, listening. After five minutes she decided he was alone and so she pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Severus looked up and smiled. Hermione smiled back at him, dropping her bag on the floor by the couch.

"I have curfew duty, but it shouldn't take long. Just stay here," Severus said as he approached Hermione. He kissed her forehead and then disappeared through the door up to his office.

Hermione smiled slightly as she pulled her robes off, piling them on top of her bag. Her shoes came next, though she left her socks to guard against the cold stone floor.

She approached one of the bookshelves and scanned the many titles. He had so many volumes she figured she could probably spend her whole life going through them and never finish.

As she slid one of the books out she heard the whooshing sound of the a fire roaring to life in the fireplace. She turned, surprised, and had just enough time to register who the person was who emerged from the fireplace before he grabbed one of the heavy figures from the end table next to the couch and swung it. The base connected hard with Hermione's temple; pain flared through her skull and then there was blackness as she crumpled to the floor.

She awoke some time later and became aware first of how much her head hurt and then how cold her feet were. She hadn't yet begun to figure out where she was when Lucius Malfoy suddenly appeared over her. Hermione choked back a scream with some difficulty and immediately tried to get away from him. She soon discovered she could barely move.

Lucius's laughter was joined by another voice, this one female. Hermione turned her head and saw Bellatrix Lestrange hovering by the door to Severus's chambers.

Horrified, Hermione realized she was in the lab, apparently bound to one of the long tables. Bellatrix sneered at her and Lucius grabbed Hermione's chin, forcing her eyes back to his face.

"I think the mudblood is scared, Bella," Lucius murmured, grinning maliciously down at Hermione. She stared up at him, trying to get her mouth to work, to say something, anything, but her vocal chords seemed paralyzed by fear.

Lucius straightened. "I suppose you're wondering how we got in here."

All Hermione could think about was what they were going to do to her. Lucius answered himself.

"Through many connections at the Floo Network and, of course, an understanding of how Severus works. As much as he prides his intelligence, his wards are rather easy to break. For an experienced wizard anyhow."

There was a derisive snort from Bellatrix and Lucius glared at her.

"Something wrong, Bella?" Lucius asked icily.

"Not at all," Bellatrix answered with false sweetness. "Hurry up, before he gets back."

Lucius looked back at Hermione and at the same time Hermione noticed a flickering out of the corner of her eye and turned her head slightly. One of the burners was lit on the other table and something was sitting in the flames, a long black handle resting on the table.

"Yes, it must be hot enough now," Lucius said, following Hermione's gaze. "Bella, come here, hold her arm."

Bellatrix sauntered over and Hermione saw she had changed since the battle at the Ministry two years ago. She was obviously living better now and looked it, except for the look of disgust on her face as she grasped Hermione's left arm and extended it, the pale underside facing up. Lucius stepped over to the table with the fire and then appeared back at Hermione's side, holding the thing on the stick aloft. Hermione stared at it, trying to figure out what it was. It was only as Lucius brought it down to her arm that she realized just what it was, and by then she was screaming as the brand burned into her flesh. Bellatrix pointed her wand impatiently at Hermione and her screams were silenced.

Hermione came very near to passing out again. As it was, the pain had given her a sort of tunnel vision, the walls of which were white and hazy.

The pain didn't dissipate when Lucius lifted the brand; rather it bloomed up her arm, searing and intense. She prayed he was finished or, at least, she'd pass out soon. The latter happened soon after something sharp pricked the burn and began tracing along the brand. Hermione began to scream again, though still silenced by Bellatrix's spell, and then merciful blackness enveloped her.

When she came to again there was a shadow over her and she jumped, letting out a shriek as she propelled herself back across the floor. The pressure on her arm made her cry out and she hugged it to her chest, falling back against the wall. Someone was saying her name, but they seemed very far away, at the other end of the long white tunnel. Hands reached for her now and she shrank back, crying. The hands grabbed her shoulders and opened her mouth to scream; the hands shook her once, twice, and the scream died in her throat the white tunnel collapsed and revealed a very frightened looking Severus Snape standing over her.

She began to cry in earnest now, reaching wildly up and grabbing Severus's robes, pulling him down to her. He came rather easily, sweeping her into his arms. Hermione clung to him like he was a life preserver, keeping her from drowning. He was whispering something and stroking her hair and Hermione just held tight to him, afraid to let him go.

She finally calmed down enough to sit back and look at Severus, though she refused to let go of his arm.

"What happened?" he asked softly, frowning as he pushed the hair from her left temple and surveyed the cut at her hairline.

Hermione shakily began to tell him what had happened; when she got to the brand, she gasped, remembering the intense pain.

Severus paled. "Brand?"

Hermione nodded, hiccuping slightly, and Severus gently took her left arm and pushed the sleeve of her shirt up. He turned slightly green and Hermione felt her stomach drop; the Dark Mark shone prominently on her skin, a livid red. The skin around had blistered, still raw from the burn.

"Oh, God," Severus whispered, horrified. "Hermione... oh God, I'm so sorry."

Hermione's eyes were still transfixed on the ugly mark and she looked up at Severus's whey colored face.

"Severus... get it off."

"I can't, it doesn't come off," Severus said, looking into Hermione's eyes.

"It has to!" Hermione cried, her chest heaving as her breathing picked up. "It has to come off, Severus, get it off!"

"I can't, I'm sorry!" Severus felt lost, one of the few times ever in his life.

"No... I can't... it has to..." Hermione murmured and began frantically clawing at the mark. She screamed at the pain and Severus grabbed her hands.

"Stop. It won't come off. Believe me." He gazed sadly at Hermione's terrified face.

"But, Severus, I can't..." She trailed off and began to cry again. Severus pulled her to him and held her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "There's nothing I can do."

Hermione sobbed in his arms for nearly an hour and when she calmed down enough he took her into the bathroom and gently washed the burn with cool water. Hermione winced at the pain, her eyes red rimmed and puffy. He gently patted her cheeks with the wet cloth and cleaned the cut on her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said softly. "This is all my fault."

Hermione looked at him but said nothing; he hadn't expected her to. What surprised him was the trust he saw in her eyes. He pulled her close and kissed her gently.

They went back into his chambers and lay down on the bed. Hermione fell asleep almost immediately, her right arm holding onto Severus firmly at his waist.

He lay awake, watching Hermione sleep and feeling his insides churn horribly.

After a couple hours he glanced at Hermione's Mark and was surprised to see it had turned black.

"No," he whispered, but his fear was confirmed as Hermione awoke suddenly, crying out. She looked at the Mark and then at Severus, biting her lip to keep from screaming; she bit so hard she drew blood.

"Severus?" she whispered.

"He's summoning you," he said in a low voice. Hermione's eyes widened and flicked over to the fireplace and back to Severus.

"What should I do?" she asked.

"Nothing," Severus said sharply. Hermione cried again as pain shot up her arm.

"Just... try to ignore it."

Hermione looked at him as though he were insane.

"Come here," Severus said, leaning back against the pillows. Hermione did the same, looking apprehensive. They talked some of the most inane things as the hours drew on and the pain in Hermione's arm grew stronger. A fine layer of perspiration formed on her forehead and upper lip, but despite the pain, she only winced. At close to six a.m. the pain hit her all at once and fought back a scream. And then it was over. All that remained was a dull ache in her arm and the now everpresent Dark Mark.

"You should go to your room," Severus said quietly as Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't want to leave you," Hermione replied in a small voice.

"You need your rest and besides, you're safer there. I never should've made you come down here."

Hermione lightly touched his cheek with her right hand and kissed him. Then she left, making it safely back to her own room.

She quickly placed a bandage over the Mark on her forearm now that it didn't hurt as much and changed into her pajamas. Exhausted, she fell straight to sleep, too tired to worry about anything at the moment.


	11. Like old times

Concealing the Mark was surprisingly easy, Hermione discovered. Her robes covered her arms during the day and if Ginny visited, she wore her robe. The hard thing was ignoring the itching as her burn healed, for the others would surely notice if she was constantly scratching. 

But the hardest part of everything was being away from Severus. She no longer had any desire to go down to his chambers and him coming to her proved rather risky. She missed him terribly though, and wondered how much longer all this would go on.

A week after the incident Hermione was in her room, listlessly doing her Transfiguration homework. It was nearly midnight but she wasn't the least bit tired. She would probably go to bed soon, though, for lack of anything better to do.

In the silence of the room, Hermione heard the portrait open and looked up, frowning. It was too late for Ginny to be coming to visit and Hermione doubted Dumbledore would be coming to see her. That left only one other person and Hermione hoped she was right, though she still fingered her wand until he came into view. Hermione's face broke into its first real smile in days and stood quickly, wrapping her arms around him and breathing in the familiar scent.

She felt, rather than heard, his soft laugh as he placed his hand on her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"How've you been?" he asked softly.

"Terrible. But better now that you're here." Hermione closed her eyes and rested her head on Severus's chest; they stood silently for a moment.

When they broke apart, Hermione had tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked, placing a hand on Hermione's cheek.

"I just miss you. But I'm too scared to come down anymore, and it's too dangerous for you to come up here."

Severus gently kissed Hermione's lips.

"Come down tomorrow night," he said.

"Severus-"

"You'll be safe. I'll be there, I won't leave."

Hermione bit her lip anxiously. "You're sure it'll be okay?"

"I promise. It's been too long since we've been together," Severus replied, leaning to plant a few well-placed kisses on Hermione's neck.

She smiled, feeling her face flush, and gently pushed him back.

"Okay. Tomorrow night." Hermione pulled him down for a kiss, one like they hadn't shared in weeks.

"I love you," she whispered against his lips. His response was to kiss her again, pressing her body to his own and then sweeping from the room.

-----

The next night, after curfew, Hermione slipped out of her room, casting a Disillusionment Charm on herself so she wouldn't be spotted, and made her way to Severus's chambers. Still being careful, Hermione crept through the Potions classroom, the office, and made her way down the dark staircase.

She listened at the door for a moment and then, satisfied that no one else was in the room, removed the charm from herself and pushed open the door.

Severus was grading some quizzes when she entered and he smiled when he saw her. Hermione loved it when he smiled. He did it so rarely, but when he did, it was such a change.

He stood and she went to him without a word, pressing her lips to his. He reciprocated wholeheartedly, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her from the floor. Her legs found their way around his waist, her arms around his neck. His hands moved to her thighs to hold her up and he began to back towards the bed.

Their kissing broke only when Severus hit the bed and fell back, Hermione giggling as she fell on top of him.

She sat up, her knees on either side of Severus's hips, and pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor.

Severus reached up, placing his hands on her waist and caressing her soft skin. She smiled and leaned forward, her hands sliding up his chest to the top buttons of his shirt, unfastening them as she kissed him again. He sat up slightly to remove his shirt and his lower stomach tingled as his chest touched the soft fabric of Hermione's bra. Hermione grabbed the shirt from the bed, tossing it to the floor as well. As she did so Severus's hands made their way to Hermione's back to unhook her bra. Hermione lowered her arms to let the garment fall and Severus lowered his head to kiss her breasts.

Hermione tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She could feel the heat rising, her skin flushing red and a small moan escaped her lips.

Severus stood and quickly turned, placing Hermione on the bed. He quickly removed his pants and crawled to where Hermione had backed herself against the pillows. She pulled him to her, placing her hand on the back of his neck as she kissed him.

Supporting himself with one hand, Severus reached his other hand under Hermione's skirt and began to tug her underwear down.

Hermione moved so he could get them off, at the same time sliding down on the bed so she was no longer sitting. Severus placed his hand on her thigh, slowly moving it up as he moved his lips to her neck.

Hermione's hand tightened on his shoulder, gripping it as his fingers traced their way across Hermione's hip to lightly stroke her lower stomach. Her hips bucked slightly and she moaned again.

"Severus, please," she whispered. He smiled and as he moved to kiss her thrust inside of her.

She gasped, raising her legs, her knees tightening on his waist, her nails digging into his shoulders.

She loved him so much it hurt and while she was never entirely sure he felt the same way, she hoped he did, and now, as he was inside of her, she felt like she was a part of him, he a part of her. It was the best, and most intense, feeling she'd ever experienced and coupled with an orgasm was positively euphoric.

Afterwards they lay silently, Hermione curled against Severus, his arms around her shoulders, his fingers tracing lazily on her upper arm.

She stared at the Dark Mark on her arm and Severus followed her gaze.

"Does it bother much?" he asked, taking her arm with his free hand and lightly rubbing the spot with his thumb.

"It itches sometimes, but it hasn't done what it did that night."

Severus released Hermione's arm and gently kissed the top of her head.

Hermione fell silent, rolling the edge of the sheet between her fingers.

"Severus?" she said quietly. He gave a sleepy grunt of acknowledgement.

"Do you love me?"

Severus's hand fell from Hermione's arm as she sat up and turned to face him. He was frowning.

"You know I do."

"You... it's just... you haven't said it in a while and I've been thinking and wondering... asking myself why you would leave what you had before, betray your friends, risk your life... all for me."

Severus stared at Hermione for a moment, his dark eyes searching her ever brightening ones, and then he sat up, placing a gentle hand on her cheek.

"I love you. I've never stopped. I had nothing before you. Those people were never my friends. And I would continue to risk my life for you if it meant you were safe."

Hermione smiled and Severus leaned forward to kiss her.

"I do love you," he whispered, staring into her eyes. She nodded, kissing him again before they lay back down. They were soon asleep.

Hermione awoke the next morning curled into a ball, clutching her pillow tightly.

She stared blankly at the wall, trying to remember where she was.

A clock began to chime loudly and Hermione rolled over, surprised. Seven a.m. She had spent the night with Severus, she remembered now. But where was he?

She sat up, clutching the covers to her chest. She was terrified of being in his room alone, she realized, and she called to Severus, only her voice came out barely a whisper. She cleared her throat and called to him again, trying to keep herself from panicking.

When Severus appeared from the bathroom, Hermione visibly relaxed and he came to sit beside her on the bed.

"I thought you had gone," Hermione murmured, smiling apologetically.

"I never left," Severus replied, kissing Hermione's forehead.

"How long have you been up?" she asked.

"About an hour. You should get up to your room."

"Ginny may be looking for me," Hermione said, finding her skirt among the tangled sheets.

"You can use the Floo," Severus replied, standing so Hermione could find the rest of her clothes and dress.

Severus retrieved his jar of Floo Powder from the mantle and extended it to Hermione as she approached the fireplace. She kissed him as she took a handful and left him with a smile as she threw the powder down and declared her destination.

She stumbled out of the fireplace in her own room moments later and quickly undressed, tossing her dirty clothes in the small hamper in the bathroom and pulling on her pajamas and robe.

As if on cue, she heard Ginny's voice outisde the door and went to let her in.

"Why are you up so early?" Hermione asked in what she hoped was a sleepy voice.

Ginny shrugged. "Just felt like it. Get dressed, we're early enough to get the good breakfast bits."

Hermione nodded and crossed to her dresser to find some clean clothes.

"Why are you so flushed?" Ginny asked, watching Hermione.

"What?" Hermione froze in the middle of pulling out a green long sleeved shirt.

"Are you sick? Your cheeks are flushed." Ginny came to stand next to Hermione.

"You sound like your mother," Hermione said, grinning slightly as she pulled the shirt out and closed the drawer.

"You obviously weren't asleep when I got here, what were you doing?"

"Nothing," Hermione replied, grabbing jeans and stepping around Ginny.

"'Nothing' doesn't make people's cheeks turn pink."

Hermione gave Ginny a look and the younger girl grinned.

"Was there a boy in here?"

'"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed and Ginny began to laugh.

"Who was it?" she asked, following Hermione to the bathroom and standing outside the closed door.

"Nobody, Ginny," Hermione said, her voice muffled through the thick door.

"Come on, you can tell me."

"None of your business," Hermione said, laughing.

"Ah, so there was someone!"

The bathroom door opened and Hermione stared at Ginny.

"There was no one in here."

"Then you were somewhere!" Ginny replied, giggling. "But where?" Ginny fell silent and Hermione's grin began to slip away as she watched her figure it out.

"Hermione!" Ginny stared, open-mouthed. "I thought... you're still seeing him? But I thought..." Ginny trailed off and Hermione ducked back into the bathroom.

"Is that where you were last night?" Ginny whispered firecely, following Hermione into the bathroom and watching as she washed her face.

"Ginny, you can't breathe a _word_ of this to anyone," Hermione said firmly as she patted her skin dry. "Especially-"

"Ron and Harry, yes, but Hermione..."

Ginny seemed at such a loss that Hermione had to fight the urge to laugh. Instead she hung up her towel and turned to face Ginny.

"It's complicated, okay? But yes. We're still... together. And yes, that was where I was last night."

Ginny remained silent as Hermione turned away and left the bathroom. She wanted to be happy for her friend, but when she thought about the man in question, it became difficult.

Ginny stepped into the bedroom where Hermione was seated at her desk, taming her hair.

"Do you love him?" Ginny asked softly. Hermione looked up at her and nodded.

"And does he-"

"Yes."

Hermione spoke with such assuredness, such conviction, that Ginny believed her. And she smiled.

"Then that's all that matters."

Hermione smiled back, a genuine and relaxed smile and stood, placing a clip in her hair to hold the sides back.

"Come on, let's go eat."

Hermione and Ginny headed down to the Great Hall, where they were soon joined by Ron and Harry. Hermione stayed out of the conversation for the most part, immersed in her eggs and the _Daily Prophet_.

Severus entered the Hall shortly after and he and Hermione both ignored the other's presence. Ginny watched the professor as he walked up to the staff table, wondering about the side of him no one but Hermione was privy to.

"Ginny!" Ron said loudly and she turned.

"What?"

"What, got a crush on Snape now?" Ron teased. Hermione glanced up and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Sod off, Ron."

Ron snickered and Harry grinned.

"I was trying to say, don't forget we have Quidditch practice today," Harry said. Ginny nodded.

"Okay."

Ginny looked back at Hermione to see her grinning and glancing away from the staff table. Whatever had happened, Ginny had missed, but she couldn't help smiling at Hermione's obvious happiness.

* * *

A/N: My many apologies for the obscene lateness of this chapter. Fall semester was a busy one, with me taking 17 credits (one short of the maximum), and exams weren't exactly a relaxing time either. I'm hoping Chapter 12 won't be so late in arriving, but I'm not overly optimistic about it. And I do hope this chapter isn't a let down after such a long break, I'm a little disappointed it's so short. Hopefully 12 will be longer. And as a little note, I don't anticipate this fic being longer than 14 chapters, 15 at the very most, so the end somewhat approaches. But not terribly soon. Anyway. Enough rambling. Reviews? Hee. 


	12. Discovered and obliviated

March turned to April, inviting the students back outside to do homework and socialize in the warmer weather. 

Hermione had begun spending her weekend nights in Severus's chambers again, always Flooing back to her room in the morning. She had told him explicitly that if he had to leave for any reason, she would not stay in his room. She could tell it hurt him a little, but she knew he understood why.

"Severus?" she asked one night as they lay in bed, her head on his stomach, his fingers absently playing with bits of her hair.

"Hmm?"

"What's going to happen to us after graduation?"

Severus remained silent, his hands never ceasing their movement.

"I don't know," he finally murmured.

Hermione turned her head toward him, reaching back to lightly touch his hand.

"I don't want to lose you."

Severus brought her hand to his lips, kissing first the back and then her palm.

"You won't lose me. We'll figure it out."

Hermione smiled. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Hermione moved to lay beside Severus and he turned on his side towards her, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close and kissing her forehead.

-----

As the first week of the month progressed, the first signs of serious studying could be seen among the more serious fifth and seventh years.

The first Saturday in April Hermione and Ginny were outside, sitting on the grass by the lake. Ginny was watching Hermione transfigure various things into other various things.

"What's he like?" Ginny asked.

"Who?" Hermione replied absently, double-checking something in her textbook.

"Professor Snape."

Hermione looked up. "What do you mean?"

"Just... what's he like? When no one can see him but you."

Hermione smiled, placing the textbook on her lap, her wand in the center.

"He's quiet. Reserved. We don't talk much when we're together. He mostly grades papers and I study, but when we do talk, it's about anything. Everything. And he's very gentle."

Ginny smiled in a bemused sort of way. "So different from what the rest of us see."

Hermione nodded. "I know. And he's quite vile to me in class sometimes."

"Doesn't it upset you?"

"Not really. I know he doesn't mean it." Hermione picked up her wand, carefully aiming at a toad hopping along the edge of the lake and turning it into a bell and back again.

"He's really not so bad, once you get to know him."

Ginny smiled again, nodding. "I don't doubt it."

The stress of the pending N.E.W.T.s began to get to Hermione and she started forcing Ron and Harry to study with her in the library.

Harry, at least, came without a fuss, but Ron put up his usual argument.

"Hermione, come on," Ron said, laying his hands open in a pleading manner. Harry was already shaking his head as he rifled through Hermione's Potions notes.

"We have all of May to study, even some of June. We're already swamped with homework, isn't that enough?"

"Not when you don't do it until the night before it's due. You just create unnecessary stress for yourself that way," Hermione replied, glancing up from her Charms notes. "At least Harry's got a fair amount of notes. Really, Ron, you should've paid more attention in class. You might be able to get away with copying my notes now, but I won't always be there."

"But you're here now." Ron grinned.

"Yeah, and that's the only thing saving your sorry butt. Now work."

Ron grabbed a section of Hermione's Transfiguration notes, finally giving in.

As Hermione turned back to her own studying, her left arm twinged. It was like a dull cramp and she frowned, reaching with her right hand to massage it.

"Something wrong?" Harry asked.

"My arm's just sore. I banged it on the tub this morning."

Harry nodded towards her arm. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey could do something about it."

"It's fine. I'll live."

Harry shrugged and went back to his copying.

As soon as he looked away, Hermione frowned again, rubbing her arm slightly.

She headed to Severus's office before dinner to ask him about the Mark.

"You're here about your Mark," Severus said as she walked in.

"Well, yes," Hermione answered, slightly put off.

Severus looked up, gathering up the essays he'd been grading and moving them to the side of his desk.

"Mine's been bothering me too," he said, standing and walking around the desk to where Hermione stood. Taking her arm in his hands, he pushed her sleeve up and nodded, lightly running his finger over the Mark.

"See how it's black around the edges here? He's preparing for something."

Hermione looked apprehensive as she glanced up at Severus.

"Do you think he'll... summon... us?"

"He might."

Noticing the increasingly anxious look on Hermione's face, Severus pulled her to him.

"You'll be alright. You made it through the first time," he murmured, resting his chin on top of her head and stroking her hair.

"But you were with me."

"You'll be safer if you're alone. Whenever it happens, you'll be vulnerable, and in case someone... comes to see me, I don't want you there."

Hermione nodded her understanding and Severus kissed the top of her head. As he did, footsteps were heard in the classroom and he and Hermione separated, Hermione hastily pulling her sleeve down and Severus moving back behind his desk.

Harry entered the office as Severus handed Hermione a piece of parchment with some writing on it, under the pretext of returning an assignment.

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione murmured.

"Good day, Miss Granger. Mr. Potter?"

"Dumbledore sent me to get you," Harry said as Hermione left the room. She heard Severus mutter something and then Harry stepped out of the office, soon followed by Severus, who stepped past them both and exited the classroom.

"What were you in there for?" Harry asked as he and Hermione made their way up the center aisle.

"I was asking him about an assignment," Hermione replied, waving the parchment in her hand. Harry nodded and he and Hermione continued to the Great Hall in silence for dinner.

Hermione was jittery for the rest of the night, expecting her Mark to burn at any moment. But the night came and went and nothing happened.

She had trouble concentrating in her classes, unable to keep her mind off her arm.

By the time she got to Potions, her head was starting to hurt and she sighed as she began to brew her potion.

The searing pain hit her so suddenly that she cried out, dropping the jar she was holding. The class all turned to look at her and she fought the urge to grab her arm.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked up, tears filling her eyes. Severus was walking down the aisle toward her, trying to show no more concern than would be expected.

"It's... a cramp," Hermione said, gasping as pain shot up her arm again.

"Go see Madam Pomfrey."

Hermione nodded, back up and turning to step around Harry and Ron's table. They watched, worried, as she hurried from the room.

Once the door was closed, Hermione let out a gasping cry, wrenching up her sleeve and staring at the ugly black Mark. Another pain flared up her arm and she gasped again, hurrying up to her room.

Hermione missed dinner, curled on her bed, her arm held tight against her chest.

When the pain finally faded around midnight, Hermione faded as well, drifting off to sleep.

Her dreams were infiltrated by black robed men wearing white masks. One of the masks drifted towards her and then flew off, revealing a blank face with empty eye sockets, mouth open in an eternal scream.

Hermione awoke with a start, breathing heavily. She nearly screamed when she saw a figure standing near her bed; a candle flickered to life, revealing Severus's worried face.

Hermione flopped back against her pillows, covering her face with her hand.

"I'm sorry if I scared you," Severus said softly, sitting down on the bed.

"It wasn't just you, there was the dream..."

"What dream?" Severus asked, taking Hermione's hand in his own. Hermione frowned.

"I don't really remember now," she murmured. "What're you doing up here anyway?"

"I was worried. I wasn't expecting him to summon you during class." Severus looked almost guiltily at Hermione and she stared back.

"Summon _me_? You weren't-"

Severus shook his head and Hermione closed her eyes, again covering her face with her free hand.

"Hermione-"

"I can't take this much longer, Severus," she said, sniffing hard, her eyes overbright with tears. "It's driving me batty."

"There's nothing we can do. We just have to handle it."

"Until when, Severus?" Hermione sighed and gently touched Severus's cheek. "I love you, but this situation isn't getting any better."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Severus asked, somewhat irritably. Hermione bit her lip.

"That's just it, I don't know either. I'm really not comfortable with telling Dumbledore about the Mark. What if he finds out about our relationship?" Hermione shook her head. "I may be Harry's best friend, but so is Ron, and if anything, they're closer. If Voldemort could choose which of us to hurt to get to _Harry_, the most logical choice would be Ron, not me. And on top of _that_, even if Voldemort chose me, how would he have gotten to me unless I was somewhere I wasn't supposed to be? You can't Floo into this room from outside of Hogwarts. It all just wouldn't add up."

Severus opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't think of anything to say. Hermione smiled a little sadly.

"We'll talk about it later."

Severus nodded and leaned forward to kiss Hermione, then turned and slipped silently from the room.

Hermione stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking about the situation, before finally going back to sleep.

The next morning at breakfast, Ron and Harry swooped down on Hermione.

"What happened yesterday?" Ron asked.

"And why'd you miss dinner?" Harry added.

Hermione stared at them both, a little taken aback.

"I was having bad cramps," she lied. Ron suddenly looked mildly uncomfortable but Harry wasn't satisfied.

"You were favoring your left arm," he pressed.

"No, I wasn't." Hermione's heart was racing.

"Yes, you were, you had it pressed against your side. I saw it."

Ron was looking from Harry to Hermione like he was watching Chasers passing a Quaffle.

"Harry, what's with the interrogation?" he asked but Harry silenced him with a glare.

"It... it was just a reaction. To the cramps," Hermione said, a little fearfully. Harry opened his mouth to speak again but Hermione cut him off.

"What business is it of yours anyway?" she snapped, suddenly angry with him. "I don't see any need for you to know why my body does what it does."

This silenced Harry and his frown disappeared, although he still didn't quite seem appeased.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I was just worried."

Hermione nodded, smiling slightly, and turned back to her breakfast.

That night, after dinner, as Hermione was working on her Potions essay, the portrait called to her and she went to answer the door, absently scratching her Mark.

Harry stood in the hall and smiled somewhat sheepishly at her.

"Mind if I come in?"

"Not at all." Hermione stepped back to allow Harry to enter the room. He followed her, shutting the portrait behind him.

"I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I was just worried and I feel like we've sort of... drifted apart this year."

Hermione shrugged, smiling at Harry. "No harm done."

"Still friends?"

"Of course."

Harry grinned, gazing around the room.

"This is pretty nice," he murmured. His eyes came to rest on Hermione again and he frowned.

"Why do you keep scratching your arm?" he asked. Hermione immediately stopped.

"No reason."

Harry grinned. "What is it, a rash?"

"No, it's nothing."

"Let me look. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can get rid of it," Harry said, stepping toward Hermione.

"Harry, no, it's nothing," Hermione protested, growing increasingly agitated. Harry didn't seem to notice though and continued towards her.

"It can't be that bad, just let me see." Harry grabbed her wrist. Hermione tried to pull back but Harry held tight.

"Harry, will you just stop?"

"Hermione, it's just a rash," Harry replied and pushed her sleeve up. Hermione's heart lurched painfully as Harry stared at the Mark, his smile fading. Hermione began to cry as Harry looked up at her.

"Harry," she whispered. His lips moved, but no sound came out.

"Harry, I'm so sorry."

"How?" he finally managed, still holding her wrist.

"It's... complicated. But, Harry, this was done ito/i me."

"By who?" Harry asked incredulously, angrily.

"Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange," Hermione murmured.

"But how did they _get_ to you? How could they..."

Hermione didn't answer, just covered her mouth with her hand, feeling as though her heart might burst through her chest. And Harry began to figure it out.

"That day Snape had his heart attack," Harry murmured. "You snapping at him that day in class... the way he was looking at you yesterday..."

Harry shook his head, letting go of Hermione's wrist and backing away from her.

"You and... and _Snape_?" he said disbelievingly.

"Harry, please," Hermione said, reaching out to him. He stepped back again, holding his hand up.

"Don't." Harry stared at the floor, refusing to meet Hermione's eyes. "How long?"

"Since November," Hermione whispered.

Harry laughed humorlessly. "I don't believe it... how could you, Hermione?"

Harry finally looked up at Hermione, his eyes shining brightly with tears.

"Harry, I didn't... I wasn't trying to hurt you, and I'm not trying to hurt you now. You don't understand. I'm still your friend-"

"You're a Death Eater!" Harry cried.

"I'm not! I told you, Lucius and Bellatrix-"

"It wouldn't have happened if you were sleeping with Professor Snape!" Harry yelled. Hermione flinched.

"I didn't intend for any of this to happen," Hermione said softly. Harry suddenly strode forward and grabbed Hermione's wrist, pulling her arm up so the Mark was visible to them to both.

"Do you see what your intentions got you?" Harry said loudly. Hermione winced as he let go of her wrist, flinging her arm away from him like it was something filthy.

"I'm going to Dumbledore," he said, turning towards the door. Hermione's eyes widened and she hurried after him, grabbing his arm.

"Harry, no. You can't."

"Let go of me," Harry said in a low voice.

"I can't let you go," Hermione said, pulling out her wand.

"And how-"

"Obliviate!" Hermione cried. Harry's eyes immediately glazed over and Hermione hastily put her wand away and pulled her sleeve down. Harry blinked and focused on Hermione.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I was reading a sad story," Hermione lied, smiling sadly.

-----

In the days following the incident in her room, Hermione could tell Harry still had his suspicions, even after the Obliviation of the memory of Hermione's Mark.

It worried Hermione a little and she told Severus all about the incident in her room.

"He doesn't remember the Mark," Hermione said, "but I can tell he's still curious."

Severus nodded, looking concerned as well.

"No more public acknowledgement of each other, then," he said. "No more glances, no more smiles, not anything. If Potter's noticing, other may be too."

Hermione nodded, feeling slightly depressed. Severus kissed her.

"We can still see each other, we just have to be more careful."

Hermione nodded again.

The two weeks that followed were like they had been before Hermione and Severus began their affair; they didn't look at each other anymore than was normal, and certainly show any abnormal regard for the other. But they continued to see each other.

On the last Saturday night in April, Hermione was sprawled on Severus's bed, the sheets wrapped around her naked body as she worked on her Charms essay.

Close to midnight Severus finished grading his papers and came over to lay down beside Hermione.

"Aren't you done yet?" he asked, pushing her hair aside and kissing her shoulder.

"Not yet. Almost."

"I think you should take a break," Severus murmured, moving his kisses to her neck. She grinned.

"I'm almost done."

"It'll still be there in the morning."

Hermione turned her head, meeting Severus's dark eyes. A small smirk was playing on his lips and Hermione's grin widened. She blew on her essay to dry it and placed it and her quill and ink bottle on the floor at the foot of the bed. As soon as she had taken her hands off the objects, Severus grabbed her and turned her onto her back, digging his fingers into her sides as he did.

She shrieked with laughter and surprise and tried to squirm away. He stopped tickling her and grinned, leaning down to kiss her.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too," Hermione replied, kissing him again.

* * *

A/N: Shocking, isn't it? Two chapters from me in the space of about a week? What can I say, my muse came back with a vengeance. School work be damned. Hope you all liked it :D 


	13. Found out

When Severus awoke the next morning, he could feel a presence in the room. He opened his eyes slowly and turned his head carefully so as not to make any noise. His eyes landed almost immediately on the all too familiar figure seated in the chair by the fireplace and his heart suddenly dropped to the bottom of his stomach. 

Severus sat up, his eyes never leaving the man in the chair. The blue eyes turned towards him, this time cold and angry.

"Albus," Severus said in a strained voice. "I can explain."

"I don't think you can, Severus," Dumbledore replied quietly, standing.

"How long have you been here?"

"About fifteen minutes. Please wake Miss Granger."

Feeling an awful churning in his stomach, Severus turned and gently shook Hermione awake. She opened her eyes and looked at him sleepily, a smile touching her lips.

"Wake up," Severus said quietly, glancing back over at Dumbledore. Hermione followed his gaze and was suddenly wide awake, clutching the covers to her chest, all color drained from her face.

"Please get dressed and meet me in my office immediately," Dumbledore said softly and disappeared into the Floo.

Hermione and Severus dressed silently, not even daring to look at each other.

They Flooed to Dumbledore's office, Hermione first and then Severus.

Dumbledore gestured for them to sit and they did so, Hermione perched on the edge of her chair, wringing her hands.

"I don't know which I'm more angry about," Dumbledore began, "the situation of an affair between a student and a teacher or the fact that it had to be brought to my attention before I noticed it."

Severus glanced at Hermione, who looked as though she were about to cry. Severus himself felt the lowest he'd ever felt and had trouble meeting Dumbledore's eyes.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since November," Severus said quietly.

Dumbledore nodded. "Well then. You leave me no choice." He looked up at Severus. "Severus, you're fired."

Severus felt as if he'd just been punched in the stomach. He'd known he wouldn't have gotten away with it, but Dumbledore actually speaking the words made it hit home. Hermione began to cry and Severus wanted to comfort her and tell her it wasn't her fault, but he didn't dare to even fully look at her.

"As for you, Miss Granger. I can't quite justify expelling you when you've only got two more months left here at Hogwarts. However, from this moment until you graduate, you are confined to your room. You may leave only for meals and classes. Is that understood?"

Hermione nodded, wiping her cheeks with her hands.

"Sir," Severus began carefully, "where will I go? I obviously can't stay here, but beyond these walls, I'm vulnerable."

"Which is why you will go into hiding. We'll arrange it in just a bit, but now I think Miss Granger should go down to her room."

"Sir, if I'm to have a Secret Keeper, it's to be Hermione," Severus stated firmly but quietly.

"Severus," Dumbledore began warningly.

"She's the only one I trust enough. Her or no one."

Hermione was gazing at Severus, her face a mix of love and wonderment at his apparent lapse in sanity.

"Severus, I don't think that's wise," Dumbledore said, glancing at Hermione, who now looked mildly ill.

"I don't care. Just give me that. Let Hermione be my Secret Keeper."

Dumbledore looked ready to protest again, but instead he sighed.

"Alright. Alright." Dumbledore stood. "I'll be back shortly. Just stay here."

Dumbledore left the room, closing the door behind him.

Hermione and Severus sat silently, avoiding each other's eyes.

"Why do you want me to be your Secret Keeper?" Hermione asked softly after a moment, staring down at her hands.

"Because I love you. And I trust you."

Hermione looked up at Severus, meeting his eyes, and smiled slightly. He reached over and she gave him her hand.

They sat silently, holding hands, until the door opened and Dumbledore entered with Professor Flitwick.

"I've already garnered your residence, Severus. You've got your wand?" Dumbledore asked. Severus nodded.

Dumbledore picked up a small paper weight from his desk and tapped it with his wand, turning it into a Portkey. The four of them touched it and were soon whisked away.

Seconds later they were deposited into a wooded area, Severus grasping Hermione's arm to hold her up.

Professor Flitwick, Severus and Hermione gazed around, looking mildly confused.

"Albus," Flitwick squeaked, "where are we?"

"Georgia," Dumbledore replied calmly.

"The country?"

"No, the state. We're in America."

Severus arched an eyebrow and Dumbledore looked over at him.

"Southern Georgia to be exact."

Severus paused, glancing at Hermione. "Why?" he asked after a moment.

"I've always had a fondness for it. And I doubt anyone will think to look for you here."

Severus had to agree with this logic and nodded.

"Right. Well, here's some money, taken from your vault." Dumbledore handed Severus a small envelope. "I've had it changed to Muggle money, of course. You'll find everything you need in the house there."

Severus and Hermione both looked up at the small house, Severus almost doubtfully, but he had no room to argue.

"We'll leave you to say your goodbyes," Dumbledore murmured and he and Flitwick turned away, walking towards the woods.

Severus stepped away from Hermione, gazing at the house. She followed him, standing beside him, and looked up at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly.

"It feels like I'm giving up," Severus replied bitterly, his eyes slitted against the sun.

"You're not," Hermione said as gently as she could. Severus sighed and Hermione reached for his hand, feeling the tough skin of his palm as she intertwined her fingers with his. He squeezed her hand and finally looked down at her.

"I'm sorry," he began, but Hermione shook her head.

"There's no time for that. I don't blame you for anything that's happened." Severus looked doubtful at this. "And that's the _truth_. All that matters is I love you and I want you to be safe."

"And what about you?"

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. I know you can too, but you don't have enough people on your side."

Severus smirked and Hermione grinned.

"I love you," Hermione said quietly, tears rising.

"I love you, too." Severus touched her cheek with his free hand, his thumb moving to brush away the tear that trickled from her eye.

"It's not goodbye forever," Severus said. "It'll all work out."

Hermione smiled. "Optimism really doesn't suit you."

"I know, but even I don't want to think of the alternative."

Hermione closed her eyes against the thought and a moment later felt Severus's lips on hers. Her surprise lasted only a second before she returned the kiss.

The sound of a throat clearing broke the moment and Hermione and Severus pulled apart.

"It's time," Dumbledore said softly.

Flitwick stepped forward and wordlessly raised their still joined hands, pushing them slightly away from each other.

"As a Legilimens, Severus, you can make this easier. Place yourself inside Miss Granger's head and recall the memories you've already made of this place, its address. Miss Granger will also need to think of this place. This may cause a bit of a headache for you both, but it'll fade. You'll probably feel some general discomfort when I perform the charm, but that too will pass."

Hermione and Severus both nodded.

"Let's begin then."

Hermione and Severus looked at each other, Severus's gaze boring into Hermione.

Hermione began to visualize the house, the woods surrounding, the address. And then suddenly Severus's own memory of the place appeared in Hermione's head, so strongly that she gasped and almost looked away. Severus blinked and the memory went away.

"Don't stop," Flitwick murmured. "Either of you."

Hermione took a deep breath and Severus squeezed her hand.

She began visualizing and when Severus entered again she flinched but kept thinking, kept remembering.

She felt, dimly, Flitwick touching her hand with his wand and warmth began to flow up her arm and all throughout her body.

She could feel a sense of being full, and then of being _too_ full, as if something were being forced inside her where there was no room and her body jerked as she fought the urge to throw up.

And then the warmth and discomfort faded and the world around came back into focus as Severus removed himself from her mind.

The tears came fast, without warning, and Hermione uttered a gasping sob, the enormity of the situation hitting her full force. Flitwick turned away as Severus pulled Hermione into his arms, holding her tightly and stroking her hair.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered, his lips moving against her ear. "I'll be fine. You'll be fine. We'll be together again soon."

Hermione nodded and reluctantly pulled away. Severus kissed her gently, then turned and walked up to his new home.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore called. "We need to go."

Hermione nodded, wiping her eyes. "I'm coming," she called back as she turned and began walking to where Professors Flitwick and Dumbledore stood.

The Portkey delivered them back to Dumbledore's office, where Hermione Obliviated both Dumbledore and Flitwick so they would have no memory of Severus's location.

Dumbledore dismissed her and Hermione left wordlessly.

She was aware of other students staring at her as she passed them, but she ignored them, not caring.

She looked up as she rounded the corner to the corridor where her room was and slowed as she noticed Ginny on the floor, waiting for her.

The younger girl stood as Hermione approached and waited silently while Hermione opened the door.

Ginny followed Hermione into the room, waiting for her to speak.

Hermione stared at her desk, trying to speak, _wanting_ to speak, but when she looked up at Ginny, she began to cry.

Silently Ginny led Hermione over to the couch and sat her down, taking her into her arms.

-----

The next month passed in a blur. Hermione saw Harry and Ron only during classes and at meals and even then she hardly spoke.

Dumbledore had allowed Ginny to be Hermione's only visitor and so many nights the two girls sat in Hermione's room, doing homework and not talking much.

The worst part of it was the entire school seemed to know and it only took a day after Severus's departure for it to spread. Hermione figured it had started in the Slytherins; Draco still had friends at the school and she definitely wouldn't put it past him to start the cycle.

Ginny's splended hexing abilities had stopped most of the students from approaching Hermione to taunt her after about a week, but Hermione was still grateful for Dumbledore's punishment, if only for the chance to avoid the eyes and whispers of the other students.

The worst of it all though was that when Hermione did see Ron and Harry, they almost completely ignored her. She couldn't decide who was angrier, Ron or Harry, but she felt terribly lonely without their friendship.

So it came as a surprise to her when, almost two weeks after Severus's departure, there was a knock on her door and she opened it to see both Harry and Ron standing there.

"What're you doing here?" she asked.

"We wanted to talk to you," Harry said, his green eyes showing discomfort but at the same time, resolve.

Hermione shook her head. "We could all get in trouble."

"We asked Dumbledore. He said it was okay."

Hermione shrugged and stepped aside, allowing them to enter.

Harry turned to face Hermione, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

"Hermione... I'm sorry."

Hermione started. This was not what she had expected.

"My hatred of Snape... I should know by now that I can trust your judgment, but my feelings overshadowed that." Harry sighed. "What I'm trying to say is if you love him, then that's all that matters."

Hermione felt tears in her eyes as she looked at Harry for a moment, then at Ron, whose face reflected Harry's statement.

"We're sorry," Ron said softly. Hermione smiled tearfully.

"Thank you." She pulled both of them into a hug, one of many huge weights lifted from her shoulders.

Life was slightly more bearable after their apology. Her protection had tripled and she now had her other friends to talk to. Ginny was still Hermione's only allowed visitor, but their time together was slightly happier than before.

-----

Hermione had never thought she'd be so happy to leave Hogwarts but she felt no loss as the train pulled away in the middle of June, the castle receding from view; there was only a dull pang at the memories of her time with Severus.

Her uneasiness grew as they approached London. She had forgotten during the ride that she would be staying with the Weasleys and now she wondered if they knew about her and Severus.

Ginny noticed her unease and scooted closer to her.

"Mum and Dad know," she whispered. Hermione looked over at her, her eyes concerned.

"And?"

Ginny shrugged. "They were upset at first. I think it was more the age difference and the fact that he was a teacher than the fact that it was Snape that upset them." Ginny smiled slightly. "You'll be fine."

Hermione returned the smile, feeling a little better.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley acted no different towards Hermione; Mrs. Weasley even hugged her a beat longer than the others and then, smiling wide, ushered Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ginny through the platform and home to the Burrow.

As Hermione and Ginny unpacked in Ginny's room, Ginny reassured Hermione.

"My brothers don't know. I've told Ron that if he tells them, he'll regret it the rest of his life." Ginny grinned and Hermione smiled, knowing who Ginny meant when she said "brothers": Fred and George.

There was a knock on the door and it was pushed open. Molly Weasley entered holding a stack of clean clothes.

"Here's the rest of your clothes, Hermione."

"How-"

"The Order went to your house and gathered your clothes and some of your personal effects."

Mrs. Weasley pointed to a box at the foot of Hermione's bed.

"Thank you," Hermione murmured, placing the clothes on the bed and picking up the box. Mrs. Weasley smiled gently at her.

"The Order knows, Hermione."

Hermione looked up sharply.

"They had to be told. They needed to know all the reasons why Severus went into hiding, and they needed to know why you have to be protected."

Hermione looked down, blushing.

"Were they... how did they react?" she asked quietly.

"Many were angry. At Severus. And many expressed disbelief." Mrs. Weasley stepped over to Hermione and placed a kind hand on her shoulder. "But those that know you have moved past it." Mrs. Weasley kissed the top of Hermione's head and left the room.

Ginny silently began to unpack her trunk as Hermione removed the lid from the box. All of her framed pictures, magical and non-magical, were inside, along with what looked like everything that had been on her desk and bedside table.

She removed a picture of her parents and placed it on her dresser, then moved to unpack her own trunk.

-----

Hermione enjoyed her vacation even though she was constantly being watched. She was safer inside, and even though she was allowed to go outside, she had to have at least one Order member with her at all times. It quickly became a hassle and she hated bothering the Order members on something so trivial, so much of her time was spent indoors.

She didn't mind though, for the most part. She had plenty of people and things to distract herself with. It all kept her from thinking about Severus too much and how much she missed him.

After a month or so though, cabin fever began to set in and Hermione was fast growing tired of stale indoor air and not being able to sit close to any windows.

Remus Lupin, a frequent visitor to the Burrow, took notice and approached Hermione one day in mid-July.

"I'm gonna walk into town. Care to join me?"

Hermione glanced towards the kitchen where Mrs. Weasly and Tonks were.

"Molly knows. She wasn't overly happy, but she agreed. Come on."

Hermione smiled and stood, following Remus outside. His hand was in his pocket, holding wand, Hermione knew. She clutched her own as well.

"How are you?" Remus asked as they began their walk down the dirt road. Hermione shrugged, enjoying the breeze.

"Okay, I guess. Bored a lot."

"Do you miss him?"

Hermione looked up at Remus. He looked back at her, but Hermione saw no ill feelings, just care and concern. She nodded.

"I do. A lot. It's really bad at night."

Remus looked away and Hermione took a breath.

"I know you and Severus-"

Remus shook his head. "I don't judge you, Hermione. Different people can see the same person in different ways. I know you well enough to trust your judgment."

Hermione smiled and Remus placed an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her in a half hug.

They walked in comfortable silence for a while until Remus slowed.

"Maybe we should turn back," he said suddenly. Hermione looked up at him and saw worry on his face, his eyes darting anxiously.

"Why? What is it?"

Remus grabbed Hermione's arm, pulling her closer to him. Hermione felt a shiver of fear run down her back, her pulse quickening.

"Come on," Remus said, turning to walk back to the Burrow. They had only taken a few steps when Remus was blasted away from Hermione. She gasped, stumbling, and watched as he landed hard on his back a few yards away. She started towards him but he was already getting to his feet, wand out.

"Hermione, stay there."

Hermione stopped, her own wand out, and then jumped, startled, as a series of loud pops announced the arrival of several wizards.

Hermione raised her wand, but the new arrivals were too quick for her, knocking her off her feet. She heard two cries of pain as she fell, one she didn't recognize, the other from Remus.

Hearing footsteps, Hermione sat up quickly, scrambling to her feet. She Stupefied the wizard coming towards her and turned to Remus. He blasted two more wizards, calling over his shoulder to Hermione.

"Apparate back to the Burrow! Now!"

Hermione nodded and tried to collect herself quickly, but Remus called her attention again. Hermione ducked in time to avoid a Stunning spell. She fired at her attacker but missed.

Remus was involved in a physical struggle with one of the wizards, but there were still three others, watching her. They had obviously been sent for her and probably given orders not to harm her; otherwise they would've taken her by now.

She started to try and Apparate again but was suddenly blasted off her feet, with far more force than Remus had been. Her landing knocked the wind out of her and she lay dazed, trying to catch her breath.

Remus called her name and Hermione could see two of the wizards approaching her fast, but she couldn't move.

"Hermione, get up!"

Hermione shook her head sharply to clear it, finding her mobility and pushing herself up.

Remus punched his own opponent and fired two spells from his wand, only one finding its target. Hermione struggled to her feet.

She gasped as another wizard appeared behind Remus and shoved him to the ground. The wizard approaching Hermione turned, distracted.

The new wizard kicked Remus in the stomach and Hermione cried out.

Remus groaned and was dealt another blow, a kick to his face. He felt his nose break, felt the warm blood rush down his face, heard Hermione scream. His attacker reached down, plucking Remus's wand from his hand and tossing it away.

"Take the girl."

Hermione screamed again as she was grabbed from behind, her arms pinned to her sides, her wand falling from her hand to the ground.

"Hermione!" Remus cried, starting to get up. Another kick to the head laid him flat again, and blackness encroached on his peripheral vision. He heard Hermione scream his name and he wanted to help her, but the darkness was overpowering and before he passed out he heard two loud cracks as the wizards disappeared, one clutching Hermione.

Remus came to. How much time had passed he didn't know but he scrambled to his feet. All the wizards were gone, as was Hermione.

"Oh no," he murmured. He looked frantically around for his wand, spotting it a few feet away. He snatched it up, then retrieved Hermione's from where it lay in the dirt and Apparated back to the Burrow.

He rushed inside, into the kitchen.

"Molly-"

"Remus, what happened?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, standing quickly. "Where's Hermione?"

"They took her, Molly. Voldemort's got her now"  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A/N: Soooo... my apologies for the lateness. This past semester was especially busy, as I was graduating and needed to get my shit together. But I did get it together, and I'm now the proud owner of an A.A. degree. It's a general transfer degree, but still a degree :D Hee. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and Chapter 14 will be coming soon.


	14. Captivity

A/N: I just wanna insert a warning that there is non-consensual sex in this chapter, and a fair amount of violence, although nothing is described in great detail.

* * *

The Burrow was in an uproar. Remus had relayed what happened to Mrs. Weasley while Tonks cleaned his face, mending his broken nose and staunching the bleeding. 

Mrs. Weasley immediately summoned Dumbledore and soon after nearly every Order member who could come had filled the kitchen.

"Are you _sure_ they were Death Eaters, Remus?" Minerva McGonagall asked.

"Yes, Minerva," Remus replied, exasperated. "Who else could it have been?"

McGonagall sighed, covering her mouth with her hand and closing her eyes.

Dumbledore stood quietly in the corner of the kitchen, observing.

"I shouldn't have told her she could come," Remus muttered, shaking his head.

"It's not your fault, Remus," Dumbledore said quietly. All eyes turned to him.

"Hermione has information that Voldemort wants. He'll want to kill her, but he won't until he gets what he wants. And Hermione isn't going to give in that easily. We have time."

"To do what?" Mrs. Weasley asked, her eyes shining with tears.

"To find out where she is and figure out how to save her."

-----

The arms released their vise-like grip and Hermione fell to the floor, gasping as she landed hard on her hip.

"Get up," a voice hissed. Hermione stiffened, her breath hitching in her throat.

"Get up!"

Hermione was yanked roughly to her feet and made to face Voldemort.

Fear made Hermione break into a cold sweat and she shivered as Voldemort stared at her; she finally had to look away, but the new sight wasn't any better. Lucius Malfoy stared back at her, his grey eyes cold. There was something else though, something Hermione didn't like. She shivered again and dropped her gaze to the floor.

"Where is Severus Snape?"

Hermione looked up, surprised. She had anticipated the question, but not so bluntly.

"The faster you tell me, the quicker, and less painful, your death."

Hermione shook her head. "I won't tell you."

The Death Eater who held her moved and Hermione felt his hand move up her back and rest on her neck.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed, his nostrils flaring.

"You won't tell me? Silence will do you no good, Miss Granger."

Hermione maintained her resolve. "I'm not going to tell you."

The hand on her neck grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled hard. Hermione cried out, tears falling from her eyes, but she refused to say any more.

"Very well. I can be patient." Voldemort waved his hand and Hermione's captor began to walk, dragging her with him. They left the large room, turning down a long, narrow hallway.

They passed a series of large iron doors before finally stopping at one. The man opened the heavy door with one hand and shoved Hermione inside with his other. She stumbled forward and turned in time to see another familiar pair of eyes, so much like his father's, gazing at her just before the door swung shut.

Hermione stared at the door for a moment, then turned to look around the room.

Sunlight filtered through a window set high in the wall, close to the ceiling. A metal slab was attached to the wall, a bed with a thin mattress, and a toilet was in a corner, on the same wall as the door. Both it and the bed seemed newer than the rest of the room; this was obviously not the room's original purpose, although Hermione couldn't have said what it was.

She stood in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do.

Finally she walked over and sat on the bed, leaning against the wall, her arms wrapped around her torso. All she could do was wait.

Night came, the sunlight replaced by moonlight. Hermione had continually heard footsteps in the hallway, but the door hadn't opened.

Her eyelids drooped and she shook her head sharply. She was afraid to sleep for fear of what might happen to her if she did.

The creak of the door opening startled her out of a doze and she moved off the bed, standing as someone entered the room.

He stepped forward into the moonlight and Hermione recognized Lucius Malfoy.

"What do you want?" Hermione murmured. Lucius smirked.

"You know what I want."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not telling you."

Lucius sighed, stepping towards Hermione. She took a step back, at the same time moving to the side to try and get around Lucius.

"It'll be easier for all concerned if you just tell us where he is."

Hermione shook her head again. "There's nothing you can do to make me tell you anything."

Hermione tried to step around Lucius but his hand shot out, gripping her upper arm tightly.

"Nothing?"

"Let me go," Hermione said firmly, trying to pull away.

"You can't even _begin_ to imagine what we can do to you," Lucius hissed in her ear. Hermione turned her head away, revulsion making her skin crawl.

"_Nothing_ you can do will make me talk."

Lucius nodded as if accepting this, then flung Hermione away from him with enough force to make it hurt when she hit the wall.

He followed her, turning her around and using his body to press her against the wall. One hand encircled her neck and the other slid down her chest, over her breast, and down her stomach to untuck her shirt.

"You see, Hermione-"

"Don't-"

Lucius squeezed, cutting Hermione's words off. The fingers of his other hand slipped beneath the waistband of her skirt and she squirmed, unable to move away.

"You see, Hermione," he began again, "there are so many ways to make a person talk. We've tried them all, or at least most of them, but never on one person." He wedged his knee between her thighs. "Are you aiming to be the first?"

His free hand moved back to the top of her shirt and he brought the hand down in one swift motion, popping the buttons from her shirt.

His hand lingered on her stomach, stroking the skin, then balled into a fist and punched.

Hermione gasped, doubling over. Lucius used this movement to shove Hermione to the floor; she fell to her hands and knees, wincing at the pain.

Lucius used his foot to push Hermione onto her side, then kicked her, another blow to the stomach.

He kneeled beside her, reaching to push her hair from her face. She jerked away from his touch.

"Ready to talk?" he asked softly. Hermione glared at him, eyes shining in the moonlight.

"Go to hell," she whispered harshly. Lucius shook his head and straightened. He seemed to think for a minute, then reached down and grabbed a handful of Hermione's hair, pulling her to her feet. She screamed, clawing at his arm.

He moved his hand from her hair to her chin, holding her so she was forced to look at him.

"Why are you protecting him?" Lucius asked. "He'd give you up in a heartbeat if he were in your position."

"He wouldn't."

"You think you know him."

"I do. Better than you."

Lucius's hand, like lightning, moved from Hermione's chin and connected with her cheek. The smack resonated in the room and Lucius grabbed Hermione, preventing her from falling as she stumbled back. He saw, with satisfaction, the glint of blood on her lip.

"Still won't talk?"

Hermione remained silent and Lucius reached down, unbuttoning and unzipping her denim skirt. He shoved her back to the floor, yanking her skirt from her body.

"Last chance."

Hermione lay still, knowing what was going to happen, knowing she couldn't stop it. She began to cry as she heard his zipper and covered her face with her hands as he crouched over her, pulling her underwear down.

He forced himself inside her, going too deep, pushing too hard; Hermione cried out but it was the only sound she made.

He stood when he finished, pointing his wand at her abdomen and performing a contraceptive charm.

"Still won't talk?"

Hermione closed her eyes, pulling her legs up.

"Go away," she whispered.

Lucius shook his head again and left the room, the door slamming heavily behind him.

Hermione sat up, reaching for her underwear. She stood, pulling them on and walked over to the bed. With trembling hands she pulled her shirt closed and lay on the bed, curling into a ball, her eyes on the door.

She had meant what she said. No matter what they did to her, she would never tell them anything about Severus.

-----

Days passed and Hermione was left alone, the door only opening when food was left. She ate some of it, not worried about being poisoned or even being given Veritaserum.

They wouldn't kill her until they got what they wanted, and she was the only person on the planet who knew where Severus was. If they killed her, they would never know. It was a small comfort, because she also knew they would do everything just short of killing her to get what they wanted.

Her first week ended, marked out with a piece of rock she'd found on the otherwise surprisingly clean floor.

Hermione lay on her bed, feeling drowsy. She rubbed a button from her shirt between her fingers, staring idly at the ceiling.

Sighing she let her arm fall to her side and closed her eyes. Sleep came easily.

She awoke abruptly some time later as she fell to the floor. She wondered briefly if she'd rolled out of bed but changed her mind when a hand closed around her throat and she was pulled to her feet.

She didn't know this man, not that it mattered. He was only here to hurt her.

"I'm not going to tell you anything," Hermione muttered as she lay on the floor an hour or so later, holding her arm tight against her chest.

"You know, we don't have to hurt _you_ to make you talk," the man said, heading for the door.

Hermione pushed herself to her feet.

"If you touch any of my friends or their families, I still won't tell you. You'd just be wasting your time."

The man didn't answer, just healed Hermione's shoulder before striding from the room.

Herimione moved back to the bed, pulling her shirt closed around her and sitting, pressing her back to the wall.

She made another mark as she watched the sun rise.

-----

She could hear the men in the hall sometimes, talking as they passed, rarely laughing. She picked up snatches of their conversations. Sometimes they talked about Harry, sometimes about her, always in anxious or agitated tones.

A month into her captivity, the door opened and in walked someone who surprised Hermione. She didn't know his name but she recognized his face: he'd gone to Hogwarts with her.

She stood, moving away from the bed as he walked towards her.

"Don't you remember me?"

"I do, just not your name. Not that I care."

Hermione continued to circle around him, keeping her distance. He sighed and pulled out his wand, blasting her into the far wall.

Hermione slumped to the floor, dazed, wincing as she tried to sit up.

Hands grabbed her wrists and she shrieked, pushing herself against the wall, almost as if she thought she could disappear into it if she tried hard enough.

She didn't want this. She hadn't wanted it with Lucius either, but this was different, it was too familiar. She'd sat next to him in classes, been partnered with him in Potions.

He sat on her legs, slowing her struggles. He pulled her forward, away from the wall, trying to lay her on the floor.

Hermione shrieked again and managed to free one of her hands, striking out and connecting with the boy's cheek.

He sat back for a moment, then retaliated, backhanding Hermione so hard the bruise formed almost immediately. He seized Hermione's wrist, pinning it to the floor, and started to lean down.

Hermione screamed, a sound full of rage, and her former classmate suddenly flew off her, landing halfway across the room.

Hermione sat up, startled but relieved that he was off her. The relief was short-lived though. She had nowhere to go and nobody to help her.

The boy stood, glaring at Hermione.

"You're gonna regret that."

Hermione already did.

She awoke hours later, in more pain than she'd ever been in, naked on the floor.

She sat up, gasping at the pain, and looked around for her clothes. She found her bra and shirt, shredded beyond repair. Her shirt and panties were missing. Her skirt would've been too difficult to rip, the denim too thick. She could only imagine why her panties were missing.

The door opened and Hermione jumped, feeling tears rising in her eyes.

"Shh," a voice said softly. A figure entered the room holding a lantern and a box. Hermione was surprised to see it was a woman, but she was still wary, and moved away as she approached.

"I'm not here to hurt you." The woman kneeled beside Hermione, turning the lantern to its full power.

The woman wrapped a blanket around Hermione's shoulders and Hermione saw brown eyes, full of warmth towards Hermione but also showing a certain detachment.

"Who are you?" Hermione murmured. The woman smiled.

"It's not important." She set about cleaning Hermione's face.

"They don't allow me a wand, so I can't heal these wounds as well as I'd like." She shook her head. "He wasn't supposed to hurt you like this. He wasn't supposed to hurt you at all."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, wincing as the woman placed a bandage on a large cut on her forehead.

"He's new. The new ones aren't allowed to see you."

The woman carefully pushed the blanket from Hermione's shoulders, glancing up as Hermione flinched.

"I'm sorry," the woman said gently. "If you don't want-"

Hermione shook her head. "No. It's okay."

The woman continued cleaning, frowning.

"God, what did he _do_ to you?"

Hermione looked down, her mouth falling open. Her torso was covered in bruises and she only now realized where the pain was coming from.

"It's a wonder he didn't kill you," the woman murmured, delicately smearing a cream over every inch of Hermione's torso. Hermione recognized it as the same cream Severus had used when Draco had hit her.

"While that does its thing, may I?" The woman gestured down and Hermione nodded, laying back slowly. She covered her eyes with her arm as the woman began to carefully clean Hermione's legs.

"Okay," the woman said when she'd finished. Hermione sat up and the woman began wiping the cream from Hermione's body.

"You okay?"

Hermione nodded, pulling the blanket tightly around herself.

"Why are you doing this?"

"He was very angry when he found out what happened. Furious, really. He wants to get the information from you, but he doesn't want you dead. At least not yet. He knows this kind of violence won't work."

"But who are you? I've never seen you before."

The woman shrugged, rifling through the box. She handed Hermione some clothes and stood.

"Will I see you again?" Hermione asked. The woman smiled.

"For your sake, I hope not." She handed Hermione a jug of water and then left, closing the door as quietly as she could.

Hermione stood and dressed, the clean feel of the clothes a luxury to her still sore body.

She drank deeply from the jug and carried it and the blanket over to the bed. She folded the blanket until it was small enough for a pillow and lay down, her new pillow the softest thing she'd felt in a month, and fell asleep.

Her sleep was unbroken and when she awoke, sunlight was streaming through the small window.

She got out of bed, stretching carefully. The pain had lessened considerably and she wondered if there was something in the water.

Curious, she walked over to stand beneath the window. She could see the sky if she pressed herself against the wall and over the course of two hours she figured it must be morning by watching the sun's movement through the sky. This meant she was facing east. She had no idea if this meant anything, but she kept it in mind anyway.

She backed away to the other wall. From here she could see only grass.

Slowly she began to walk forward, stopping when the grass stopped and looked at where she was in the room. Almost halfway.

Where the grass stopped, trees began and as before, she could only see the sky if she was right against the wall.

She spent the next few hours hovering below the window, changing angles, trying to see if there were any clues to her location.

She stopped when it became too dark to see and made her way back to her bed.

The door opened after the sun fully set and her dinner was slid in. She waited until the door closed before retrieving the tray.

-----

Another month passed. Men occasionally came to try and talk her into telling what she knew. Most of them used violence, although none used rape.

Hermione maintained her silence though. She was no closer to telling them anything.

She was wary when someone new entered her room one afternoon, although she did recognize this one.

Bellatrix Lestrange closed the door and started towards Hermione, who was sitting on her bed.

"All I want to do is talk."

"Forgive me if I don't trust your word," Hermione said scornfully.

Bellatrix sat beside her on the bed and Hermione started to get up. Bellatrix grabbed her arm and yanked her back; Hermione banged her head on the wall and cried out, trying to pull her arm from Bellatrix's grasp. The other woman's grip tightened and Hermione scowled.

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want. Don't play dumb."

Hermione frowned and didn't respond.

"Just tell me your secret. The sooner you do, the easier your death."

Hermione scoffed. "So long as I don't tell you, I stay alive. I much prefer that."

"I wouldn't count on that," Bellatrix said softly. Hermione looked over at her.

"What do you mean?"

"We have another source."

Hermione laughed out loud. "That's impossible and absurd."

"Why is that?"

"Because if you really had another source, I wouldn't be here or I'd be dead by now."

"And why is it impossible?"

Hermione looked squarely at Bellatrix. "Because it is."

"Who else was there?"

Hermione sighed, looking away. "Who else was where?"

Bellatrix squeezed Hermione's arm, her nails digging into the skin, making Hermione wince.

"Stop playing games with me," Bellatrix hissed.

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Where is he? Is he still in Europe?" Bellatrix watched Hermione closely. "Asia? America?"

Hermione kept her face passive and Bellatrix sighed, disgusted.

"I'm not going to tell you anything. As I've already told the rest of your friends."

Bellatrix released Hermione's arm and stood.

"We will get it out of you."

"Good luck with that."

Bellatrix left the room, allowing the door to slam behind her.

-----

A few days after Bellatrix's visit another Death Eater entered the room. Hermione tensed but he didn't approach.

"He wants to see you."

Hermione frowned, not moving.

"Come on," he said impatiently, stepping towards her.

Hermione moved off the bed and walked over to the man. He grabbed her arm and led her from the room.

They walked in silence, passing many more doors that probably led to more rooms like Hermione's.

They eventually entered a room at the end of the hallway. The man shoved Hermione to her knees on the floor and she winced as she heard a familiar voice dismiss him.

"You may stand."

Hermione did so, rubbing her sore knees. She met Voldemort's eyes and was almost tempted to look away, but resisted the urge.

"I hear you've been maintaining a rather stoic code of silence, Miss Granger."

Hermione remained silent and unmoving.

"You've been here for what, over two months now? And you've yet to crack. Others would've spilled their secrets long ago. But not you."

Voldemort stared at Hermione for a moment.

"Why are you protecting him?"

"Because I love him," Hermione murmured.

Voldemort frowned at this. "You love him?"

"You of all people should know how powerful love is."

"And because you love him, you'd rather be a prisoner than give up his location."

"Anything to keep him safe."

Voldemort nodded, steepling his long fingers and peering over them at Hermione.

He opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted as the door opened and a different Death Eater entered.

"Excuse me, my Lord," he murmured as he walked over to Voldemort. Leaning, he whispered into his master's ear. The more he talked, the happier Voldemort seemed to become.

"Excellent news. Stay, I'll need you to escort Miss Granger back to her room."

The man nodded and took Hermione's arm in his grasp.

"But before you go." Voldemort looked at Hermione. "Your friends are dead."

Hermione blinked. "What?"

"It is news I've just received."

Hermione looked up at the man holding her, then back at Voldemort.

"No. I don't believe you."

"It's true. My men have attacked the Weasley home. Have burned it to the ground. I understand the entire family was inside, including Potter and a fair number of Order members."

"No," Hermione murmured, tears filling her eyes.

"There's no one left to save you now," Voldemort called as the man dragged Hermione from the room.

"You bastard!" Hermione screamed, struggling against the man's grip. He held her tightly as he brought her back to her room.

He pushed her inside, slamming the door.

Hermione rubbed her arm, tears streaming down her face.

They couldn't be dead. He had to be lying.

"But what if he's not?" Hermione whispered to herself as she sat on her bed.

If Voldemort was telling the truth, then he was right. There was no one left to save her now.

* * *

A/N: I really didn't intend for the wait between Chapter 13 and this chapter to be so long, but things just happened. I had this chapter typed up and everything, but I just never got around to editing and formatting it until now. Guh. I do hope you enjoyed it though (well, as much as it can be enjoyed...). Chapter 15 will be along soon (still writing it), and it will be the final chapter, which is making me quite sad. Heh. It's been an interesting journey... anywho. Reviews are love :D 


	15. Found

A/N: So... many apologies that this took me so long to get up. This semester has really been hell... bah. This has been finished for a good while now, but I only just had time to type it up and get it beta'd this week (isn't that sad? meh). It's kinda sad to see the end of two years of work, but then I'm kinda happy it's totally finished. I hope you enjoy the ending and keep an eye out, I'm working on some new stuff and hopefully I'll be able to post something soon. Happy Holidays! Hee.

* * *

As the days wore on, Hermione felt as though some of her fire had dissipated.

However, she still refused to tell anyone where Severus was. In fact, she refused to talk at all anymore.

It proved to be very irritating to those who continued to try and get information from her, and their efforts seemed to intensify, including one memorable incident with a thin rope and Hermione's neck.

Summer turned to fall and fall slowly became winter.

The open window allowed cold drafts to sweep through Hermione's room and while the breezes had been nice during the warmer seasons now Hermione lay on her bed at night, shivering under her thin blanket. The clothes the woman had brought so many months ago were now no longer sufficient, but Hermione knew somehow that the woman was not coming back.

The days were not much better and she almost looked forward to the now daily interrogations and beatings. They kept her warm.

One piece of luck stayed with her though. The jug of water the woman had brought not only continued to replenish its supply, but also continued to carry whatever healing properties it had.

Nevertheless, Hermione could feel herself weakening, getting sick. For the first time she really thought she might die here.

Her marks on the wall told her it was now December, although she couldn't be entirely sure of the date as she had forgotten when she'd been taken.

When the day she figured was Christmas came, she cried for the first time in months, thinking of her friends. She still didn't really know if they were alive or dead, but she missed them terribly all the same.

After Christmas they stopped coming into her room. She could tell something was going on but she didn't know what. They also stopped bringing her food and in her already weakened state, this only proved detrimental.

She lay in bed all day now, unable to find the energy to get up. The urge to sleep was strong and Hermione found herself dozing more and more. Eventually dozing turned into bouts of unconsciousness.

A week after Christmas Hermione could hear more voices than usual passing outside her door and she wondered dimly what was going on before she slipped away again.

She came to again, hearing voices in the room.

"Take the blanket and her clothes. She's almost dead anyway."

Hermione didn't have the energy to protest as they stripped her and she fell into unconsciousness again.

While all of this was happening, the Burrow, which had not burned down, was filled with Order members and Weasleys and Harry, none of whom had been killed.

Earlier that morning Kingsley Shacklebolt and Dedalus Diggle had come into the Burrow, looking excited.

They summoned Dumbledore to tell him their findings.

"It's the factory, Albus," Kingsley said. "All this time it's been under our noses."

Dumbledore nodded. "Let's go check it then."

Two hours later though their search turned up nothing.

"This doesn't make sense," Kingsley muttered, turning to Dumbledore. "We saw them here."

As the older Order members talked amongst themselves, Harry was staring intently at the factory.

"Harry?" Ron asked, walked up beside him.

"There's something else, something we're missing," Harry murmured.

Ron followed his gaze, failing to understand what Harry was getting at.

Then Harry's face lit up and he cried out, hurrying over to Dumbledore.

"What is it, Harry?"

"This factory. There's no storage facilities here. I mean, there's a couple of rooms, but not near enough for what this factory probably produced. There has to be a separate building somewhere."

"Is there a quick way to find out where it is?" Dumbledore asked.

"There must be an office. Paperwork."

"Of course. Kingsley, Remus, go look for it."

The two men nodded and disappeared into the factory. They emerged minutes later, brandishing a sheet of paper.

Dumbledore nodded and took it and they all Apparated back to the Burrow.

Over the course of the afternoon, blueprints were acquired and plans were made.

They set out at nightfall, under the protection of Disillusionment charms.

Before they entered, Remus pulled Dumbledore aside.

"Let me look for Hermione. I'm the one who lost her, I want to be the one to find her."

Dumbledore nodded, placing a hand on Remus's shoulder.

Finally the group entered the building and before long, Remus was alone in a long corridor lined with doors.

Silently Remus began to make his way down the hall, opening doors with his wand. Most of the rooms were empty but some contained prisoners, all of them dead.

With every body he found, his heart sank a bit more. Hermione's prospects looked bleaker by the minute.

He sent the bodies he'd found to St. Mungo's, which had been alerted of such a thing happening, and continued his search.

Just over halfway through his search he came upon another body, illuminated dimly by moonlight.

Remus sighed, expecting to find another poor dead soul as he walked into the room. The room was so cold he could see his breath and he shivered.

His breath hitched as he got close enough to see the figure and he crossed the rest of the room in three steps.

Hermione lay naked on the bed, unmoving, her back to Remus. He touched her shoulder, fear clenching his heart as he felt how cold her skin was.

He turned her carefully onto her back, gently touching her face.

He was almost scared to lower his ear to her mouth, afraid that he wouldn't hear anything. He waited, holding his own breath until he was able to finally detect her shallow breathing.

He exhaled, his heart racing as he felt for a pulse. It was faint, but it was there.

Remus excitedly removed his cloak and wrapped it around Hermione's body. He touched her face again, stroking her cheek.

"Hermione?" he whispered, staring intently at her face. Her eyelids twitched, the smallest of frowns creasing her brow, but she didn't wake.

Placing his wand between his teeth, Remus lifted Hermione into his arms, holding her close as he made his way back outside and Disapparated.

He appeared in the hospital wing at Hogwarts, the Apparition block placed on the school removed just for that instant.

Remuse paused a moment, still holding Hermione close as he waited to see if he'd been followed.

Satisfied, he straightened and carried Hermione to the nearest bed, calling for Madam Pomfrey.

The older woman bustled in and Remus looked up.

"She's alive."

Madam Pomfrey's pace quickened and she pulled out her wand as she reached Hermione.

"Remus, there's a tray in my office. You'll know it when you see it."

Remus nodded and hurried to retrieve what she asked for.

He watched anxiously as Madam Pomfrey worked, unable to take his eyes from Hermione's unconscious form.

After an hour, the color had returned to Hermione's cheeks and lips and her breathing had acquired a more normal rhythm.

Remus helped Madam Pomfrey dress Hermione in a gown and they laid her gently down, covering her with the sheets.

"How is she?" Remus asked.

"She's stable." Madam Pomfrey paused.

"Poppy?"

"Remus, I scanned her body. She had numerous healed injuries, but a lot of the healing is sloppy." Madam Pomfrey glanced back at Hermione, then again at Remus. "She's been raped multiple times."

Remus flinched, closing his eyes.

"They used contraceptive charms, but again, the work is sloppy."

"Sloppy?"

"There's evidence of at least two abortions, probably not intentional, most likely the result of the charms performed too late. I'll know more about her injuries when I can examine her better, but for now she needs to rest."

Remus nodded. "Dumbledore told me to, uh, stay with her."

Madam Pomfrey nodded as well. "Let's move her to the back of the ward, away from obvious prying eyes."

After they switched the beds, Madam Pomfrey erected a curtain around Hermione's bed and Remus pulled up a chair to sit with her.

He reached up, taking her hand in his, and studied her face. There were scars and some still healing wounds.

Remus stood slightly to look at her neck. An angry red line circled her throat and he could see it had been healed only enough to prevent her bleeding to death.

Anger surged through Remus as he stared at the wound. For the first time in his life he wished Severus were here, if only because he knew that he would go and personally kill every man who had hurt her.

Remus sat back down, still holding Hermione's hand. Right now he was all she had and he wasn't going to leave her side for a second.

He watched her for hours until she stirred. Remus sat up; Hermione's lips moved, but no sound came out.

"Hermione," Remus whispered, standing. He brushed her hair from her forehead, leaning to hear what she was murmuring.

"Severus. Where's Severus?"

"He's not here right now. You'll see him soon though."

Hermione's eyelids fluttered open and she frowned, focusing on Remus.

"Remus?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"They told me you were dead."

"I'm very much alive."

Hermione opened her mouth to speak again but Remus stopped her.

"Shh. Sleep. You need your rest."

Hermione nodded, her eyes closing again.

Remus soon fell asleep as well and was awakened some time later by a hand on his shoulder. He first looked at Hermione. She was still fast asleep.

"Remus."

He looked up, seeing Dumbledore standing next to him.

"Albus. What happened?" Remus asked, sitting up.

"They're all dead."

Remus stood, moving away from Hermione.

"All of them?"

"Every Death Eater we could find."

"What about-"

Albus nodded, seeming to radiate a quiet pride.

"Harry performed admirably."

"Is he alright?"

"He's at St. Mungo's right now. He should be fine."

Dumbledore stepped around Remus, towards Hermione.

"How is she?"

Remus told Dumbledore what Madam Pomfrey had told him the night before.

Dumbledore's eyes hardened at Remus's words, then softened again as he looked down at Hermione.

"Has she said anything?"

"Nothing significant. She asked where Severus was." Remus paused. "You don't think she's forgotten-"

"No, no," Albus said quickly, "it's probably just confusion. Disorientation."

Remus nodded. "Sir, I think Voldemort told her we were dead to try and break her, she seemed relieved to see that I was alive. And that's not even the worst of it. There are cuts all over her body, scars. She was naked when I found her, unconscious, nearly frozen to death. That and what Poppy found... they tortured her, Albus. And when they knew we were coming, they left her for dead." Remus looked over at Hermione. "Can we make her forget it all? She doesn't need to live with those memories."

"It's up to her, Remus," Dumbeldore said quietly.

"Do you think she wants to live with those memories?" Remus asked disbelievingly.

"No, I don't, but that's not up to either of us to tamper with her mind without her consent. If and when she wants the memories removed, we'll do it, but until then we'll let it alone. She's already been through enough."

Remus nodded, sighing.

A familiar flash of red hair caught his eye and he turned his head to see Ginny Weasley enter the ward.

She rushed towards them and Remus grabbed her.

"Ginny, relax."

"Is she alright?" Ginny asked, her features etched with concern as she gazed at Hermione.

"She'll be fine. She needs to sleep, but she'll be fine."

Ginny pulled herself from Remus's arms and walked over to Hermione, staring down at her friend.

"Will you let me know when she wakes up?"

"Of course."

Ginny nodded, lightly touching Hermione's hand.

"Go on up to your dorm," Remus said gently.

Ginny nodded again and started to leave, then turned back and hugged Remus. She pulled away after a moment and left the room.

-----

Hermione slept all day and all night and still Remus stayed with her.

Sometime during the night Hermione began to squirm, moaning in her sleep.

Remus stood, bending over her.

"Shh," he murmured. "Hermione, you're okay. You're sake, no one can hurt you now. Shh."

Remus stroked her hair, her cheek, until she calmed down, then settled back in his chair.

He was awakened hours later by Hermione moving; he realized he'd fallen asleep with his head on Hermione's bed.

"Remus?"

He looked up at Hermione and smiled. "Morning."

Hermione grinned in a bemused sort of way. "Morning."

"How do you feel?"

"Better." Hermione started to push herself up into a sitting position and Remus helped her, placing pillows behind her back.

"I'm at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, looking around.

"Dumbledore figured it was safer. We'll move you to St. Mungo's soon."

Hermione nodded absently, a faraway look in her eyes.

"What is it?" Remus asked softly.

"I'm just... thinking." She seemed to be fighting back tears and Remus touched her hand.

"It's okay to cry, Hermione. I know you had to put on a tough face for them, but you don't need to do that anymore."

Hermione shook her head, staring straight ahead.

"I'm afraid that if I start crying, I won't be able to stop."

Taking her hand in his, Remus sat on Hermione's bed. Her eyes slowly shifted to his face and before she could stop it the dam broke and she began to sob, raw and unrestrained. Remus pulled her to him and she clung to him, six months of pain and loneliness wracking her body, coursing down her cheeks in hot streaks of tears.

Remus blinked rapidly, trying to hold his own tears back, but they came too, silent and unbidden, and he held Hermione in his arms, rocking her gently.

-----

They moved her to St. Mungo's the following day, into her own room, and the visitors began to pour in.

By the end of the day, Hermione was exhausted and she groaned as she heard a knock on the door.

"Go away, please," she called. The door creaked open anyway and Hermione sighed, turning her head.

"What-" She broke off, surprised, and then sat up happily.

"Mum! Dad!" she exclaimed and they rushed towards her, engulfing her in hugs from both sides.

"Oh, I missed you so much," Hermione murmured.

"We missed you too, sweetheart," her mother said, leaning back to look at her daughter's face. Her hand gently caressed Hermione's cheek and she sighed.

"What they did to you," she murmured.

"Mum, I'm fine."

"You're not," Mr. Granger said gruffly. Hermione looked over at him.

"Daddy-"

"He said you'd be safe. That you were vital. If this is what he thinks you being vital is-"

"Daddy, please. It's not Professor Dumbledore's fault, it's not my fault, it's not anybody's fault. I _was_ vital to Harry because of his love for me. Not just for me, for Ron, for Dumbledore, all of Harry's other friends." Hermione looked down at her hands. "Maybe this had to happen."

"I don't buy that."

"It doesn't matter. It's over now." Hermione reached for her father's hand. "I know you'll always be angry, but for now, please just be happy that I'm alive."

"I am, honey," he murmured, tears glistening in his eyes as he leaned down to kiss her forehead.

Hermione's parents stayed until a mediwitch made them leave, stating that Hermione still needed rest.

A little while later her dinner was brought in.

Hermione picked at it, looking up as the door opened.

Dumbledore walked in, smiling as he closed the door behind him.

"Ah, dinner," he murmured. "How is it?"

"They fed me while they had me. This isn't much better than that."

Dumbledore chuckled and Hermione grinned wryly.

"How are you?" he asked, sitting in the chair beside Hermione's bed.

"Better. Stronger."

"Good. That's very good."

Hermione smiled, starting on her dinner.

"I have something to ask you, Hermione."

"Sir?"

"We can make you forget all that happened to you," Dumbledore said softly. Hermione was already shaking her head.

"I don't want you to."

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore leaned forward. "We can do it with no ill effects."

"I know you can. But I've already been thinking about it. I don't want to forget what I did for Severus, what I went through."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, sir. I am."

"You're a very brave girl," Dumbledore said quietly.

"Or very foolish," Hermione murmured.

She and Dumbledore sat in silence for a moment, then Hermione drew in a breath.

"Sir, I want to see Severus."

"You're not well enough to leave yet."

"Then let me tell you where he is, you can bring him to me," Hermione said earnestly.

"Hermione, no."

"Why can't I tell you where he is?"

"Because it's still not entirely safe."

Hermione sighed.

"I promise, Hermione. You're healing quickly. Soon you can go to him."

Hermione shook her head, tears of frustration welling in her eyes. Dumbledore touched her shoulder.

"Soon."

That night Hermione dreamed she was back in her cell. It was a memory, one of her worst nights. She remembered the pain, the door slamming shut and then opening again just minutes later.

Hermione began to cry as the man approached her, pushing herself up and back.

"No," she murmured. "Please."

He continued towards her and Hermione struggled to her feet. The man rushed towards her and Hermione raised her arms to cover her face, screaming as he grabbed her.

She struggled against him, shrieking and clawing until she realized he was speaking to her.

She opened her eyes and found herself staring into Remus Lupin's concerned gaze.

"Remus," she gasped, breathing heavily. Remus moved his hand to her cheek, keeping his other hand on her arm.

"You were dreaming," he murmured.

"I'm okay."

"You're not," Remus argued, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and patting the sweat from Hermione's forehead.

"Why won't you let us get rid of those memories?"

"Because I won't be me without them. Knowing what I went through for Severus, for Harry even." Hermione pushed Remus's hand from her forehead. "Get me a pensieve if you like."

"Hermione-"

"Remus, we've talked about this. I'm tired of arguing with you."

Remus ran a hand through his now liberally grey hair and sighed.

"You're too young to look so old," Hermione said softly. Remus smiled humorlessly.

"I know you blame yourself for what happened to me," Hermione continued. Remus looked away.

"I wish you wouldn't."

Remus turned back to face her, looking surprised.

"Did you actually think I blamed you?"

"I don't see how you wouldn't."

Hermione reached forward, placing her hand on top of Remus's. He turned his hand over so they were palm-to-palm.

"I don't blame you, Remus. You tried to save me. It was partly my fault for not leaving when you told me to. But really, Remus, it's nobody's fault."

Hermione lay back against her pillows, staring at the ceiling.

"I did blame someone though. Just for a second, but I swear, it was the longest second of my life."

"Who was it?" Remus asked quietly.

Hermione swallowed hard and blinked rapidly a few times.

"Severus," she whispered. "For that one second, one second that felt like hours, I blamed Severus." Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and Remus could almost feel the guilt radiating from her. "I blamed him for trusting me, for loving me, for caring about me so much that he would trust me with his _life_, and I cursed him for being so... selfish. And then I realized that he wasn't being selfish. He trusted me with his life because he believed in and loved me enough to know that I wouldn't give him up. And that I was strong enough to keep his secret. And then I realized I loved him so much that I would've done it all anyway, regardless of whether or not he asked me to."

Hermione sniffed and looked at Remus. "So this probably would've happened anyway."

Remus stroked the back of Hermione's hand with his thumb and she smiled at him. He nodded, closing his eyes briefly.

"I'm sorry, Hermione."

"That's the last time you get to say that."

Remus laughed and Hermione grinned.

"You're okay now," Remus murmured.

Hermione nodded. "I am."

"Then I'll leave you to get back to sleep." Remus stood and kissed Hermione's forehead, then turned off the bedside lamp and left the room.

-----

Harry and Ron came to see Hermione the next day and the three of them spent the day together. Despite the bandage over Ron's left eye and the sling holding Harry's left arm against his chest, injuries the boys told her would heal fine, they had an enjoyable time, playing chess and Exploding Snap.

Hermione could tell they were curious about what happened, but they knew better than to ask. She didn't know if she would ever tell them, but she knew they had an idea.

It wasn't until the next morning that Hermione finally looked at herself in the mirror.

A scar bisected her left eyebrow and another, smaller scar adorned her upper lip on the right side.

Raising her chin, she gasped at the red line encircling her neck. She had felt it, but looking at it now was so different.

She stepped back, pushing her robe from her shoulders and reaching behind her neck to untie her hospital gown. She pulled the gown down, gazing at her chest. More scars peppered her flesh, most of them small, from cuts that hadn't been properly healed or not healed at all.

Hermione ran her fingers over her skin, tears blurring her vision. She looked back up at her reflection and saw Mrs. Weasley standing in the doorway.

"You're still beautiful," the older woman murmured.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't feel like it."

"You will, dear." Mrs. Weasley stepped forward, pulling Hermione's gown back up and retying it.

"What if Severus doesn't think so?"

"He loves you. I don't think he'd care if you were shaved bald. He might tease you though."

Mrs. Weasley grinned and Hermione giggled, sniffling.

Later that day a team of mediwizards and witches checked Hermione over.

"She's healing very nicely," the lead mediwizard announced to Dumbledore and Hermione's parents.

"When can I leave?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"Tomorrow morning," the mediwizard replied after a moment.

Hermione beamed.

-----

Hermione's parents came to take her home the following morning, bringing with them some clean clothes.

Most of Hermione's friends had gone home days ago, but the Weasleys and Harry came to see her before she left.

"I'll see you all later," Hermione said, hugging them each. She was a little disappointed that Remus wasn't there, but she figured she'd see him soon.

She and her parents left, Hermione walked between them.

They had reached the waiting room when Remus appeared. He smiled when he saw Hermione, looking relieved.

"I was afraid I'd missed you."

Hermione hugged him tightly. "I'm glad you didn't."

Remus stroked Hermione's hair and kissed the top of her head.

Hermione finally pulled away from him, sniffing. Her parents were standing slightly to the side and Hermione cleared her throat.

"Mum, Dad, this is Remus Lupin. He's the one who saved me."

Mr. Granger stepped forward and grasped Remus's hand.

"Thank you."

Remus nodded, looking slightly embarrassed, and Mr. Granger released his hand.

"I'll see you later," Hermione murmured, kissing Remus's cheek before leaving with her parents.

The day was spent under her parents' constant surveillance, but Hermione didn't mind. She had missed them terribly.

But as she lay in bed that night, her heart ached for Severus and the next morning she hugged her parents and told them she'd see them soon, and Apparated to Georgia.

It was early afternoon there and a light cold rain was falling. Hermione pulled her cloak tight around her and started up the drive to the house.

Severus had cleaned it up and it now looked almost quaint. Hermione smiled slightly and stepped onto the porch. The front door was locked; Severus didn't seem to be home.

Hermione shivered and hoped Severus would be home soon; she wasn't much a fan of the cold anymore.

Soon after Hermione sat down, an old truck came rattling up the drive. Hermione smiled again to herself and her heart fluttered as Severus appeared. He looked the same as she remembered, although the perpetual scowl had disappeared.

Severus opened the screen door to the porch, his keys jangling as he searched for the right one.

Hermione stood and Severus jumped, dropping his keys. His face flashed anger until he looked at her.

"Oh my God," he murmured, staring at Hermione as though he wasn't sure it was really her.

"Hermione?"

She nodded, smiling slightly, then rushed to Severus, throwing her arms around him. He squeezed her tightly, lifting her from the floor.

Hermione buried her face in his neck, breathing him in, reveling in his warmth.

She realized she was crying as she raised her head and looked at Severus. He set her on the floor and lightly touched her cheek, wiping her tears.

"I've missed you so much," Severus murmured, pulling her to him again, holding her close. Hermione closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest.

"C'mon, let's go inside," Severus said a moment later. Hermione nodded and retrieved his keys from the floor.

Once inside, Severus checked the heater.

"I've learned to appreciate some Muggle amenities," Severus said in response to Hermione's grin as he adjusted the thermostat.

Hermione made her way into the livingroom as Severus disappeared into the kitchen to make tea. She gazed around the room, surprised at how much it resembled Severus's character.

She was surprised to see a picture of herself on one of the bookshelves and Severus saw her looking at it as he came in with the tea.

"It was here when I came in," he said softly. "Albus must've placed it there."

"It's not a magic photo though," Hermione said quietly. She looked up at Severus and he looked back at her, his expression troubled.

His fingers lightly brushed her neck and Hermione flinched. Severus withdrew his hand, looking pained.

"What did they do to you?" he asked softly.

Hermione turned and walked over to the couch, sitting with her knees pressed together and her hands clenched around her tea mug.

"They hurt me," she whispered. "A lot."

"Just to get to me," Severus said angrily. Hermione stood and set her tea on the coffee table, shaking her head.

"Don't do that. I refuse to let anyone take any blame for this." She moved forward, placing her hand on Severus's cheek. "Especially you."

Severus stepped around her, moving to the couch. She turned to face him and he gestured for her to come to him.

Smiling, she walked over and sat down beside him. He put his arm around her and she snuggled against him, resting her head on his chest.

"Tell me what you've been doing," Hermione murmured. Severus began to talk and Hermione closed her eyes. She wasn't really listening, not that she didn't care. All she wanted was to hear his voice. Before long she was asleep.

Her dreams weren't peaceful though. This time it was the memory of the day they hung her that plagued her sleep.

Lucius Malfoy and another man entered her room, startling her out of a doze. Lucius pulled her from the bed and turned her around, bringing her hands around and trying her wrists together behind her back.

He whirled her back around and dangled the end of a long thin rope in front of her face.

"Feel like talking?" Lucius murmured, his face very close to hers. Hermione shrank back, unable to move far as his hand was tightly clutching her left arm; she said nothing.

"Very well."

Lucius handed the end of the rope to the other man, who suddenly looked rather pleased, and led Hermione to the other end of the room.

He held another bit of the rope in his hands and slowly pulled on it until the other end was visible.

Hermione felt her stomach drop as a noose was revealed to her.

She tried to back away, but Lucius was too quick as he slipped the noose over her head. He shoved against the wall and the rope tensed. Hermione looked up and saw it had been magically attached to the ceiling in two places, where two hooks might be placed.

Lucius grabbed Hermione's chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Most hanging ropes are thick. Leave a pretty bad rope burn. But this one is thin. Thin enough to cut into skin when pulled tight enough. I can only imagine how much it would hurt to be suspended from such a rope."

"You should try it," Hermione whispered venemously. "Permanently."

Lucius waved his arm and the rope tightened suddenly around Hermione's neck, lifting her very slightly off the floor, though her feet still mostly touched.

She gagged, her hands twitching as reflex tried to use them to remove the rope.

A moment later and the tension was relieved. Hermione gasped, sucking in air through her now sore throat.

Lucius moved closer to her, his hand rising to brush her hair from her face in a gesture that would've been tender from anyone else.

"That was just a taste," he murmured, his lips brushing her ear. "Surely you don't want anymore. Just tell me where he is."

"Go to hell," Hermione replied. Lucius waved his arm again and the rope tightened once more, this time lifting Hermione completely from the floor. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears rising in her eyes from the pain in her neck.

Then the rope loosened again and Hermione collapsed to her knees, her trembling legs unable to support her.

"Next time will be longer," Lucius muttered, pulling her to her feet. Hermione remained silently. Another arm wave.

Hermione was lifted a full foot from the floor this time and she closed her eyes again. Her lungs burned and she felt a searing pain in her neck, followed by a trickle of warm liquid running down her chest.

And then the pressure was relieved and Hermione collapsed fully to the floor, coughing.

"We'll heal the wound and go again," she heard Lucius say.

"No," she whispered hoarsely, tears spilling down her cheeks. But Lucius was reaching for her and he grabbed her arms and-

Hermione awoke with a start, clasping her hands to her mouth to keep herself from screaming, squeezing her eyes shut again. She had almost regained her composure when a hand moved across her stomach, the arm pulling her close.

Hermione shrieked, jumping to her feet and whirling around. Severus stared at her from where he lay on the bed.

"How... why..." Hermione murmured, confused.

"You fell asleep," Severus explained quickly. "I thought you'd be more comfortable in here. I didn't want to leave you, so I laid with you. I must've fallen asleep too. The rain..." Severus trailed off, watching Hermione worridly. She had backed herself against the wall; her hands covered her mouth and even from where he was, Severus could see her shaking.

He got off the bed and carefully approached her.

"Hermione?"

She opened her eyes and the anguish and fear Severus saw pierced him straight through the heart.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered.

Hermione nodded. "I know, it's just... the memory of Lucius... and the rope... and you put your arm around me and I thought it was _him_ and I just..." Hermione gave a strangled cry and covered her face with her hands.

"It's only me now, Hermione," Severus said softly, pulling her into his arms. "It's only me, now and forever. They can't hurt you anymore. No one can. I promise."

Hermione nodded against his chest, her hands clutching his shirt.

"We'll go home," Severus murmured, stroking Hermione's hair. "Back to London. We'll get you some help, or, at the very least, a pensieve."

Hermione nodded, sniffling. "You can talk to Dumbledore about your job."

Severus nodded as well. "Everything'll be fine soon."

Hermione sighed, holding Severus a little tighter.

"I love you," she whispered.

Severus kissed the top of her head. "I love you, too."

He looked up, gazing out the window at the rain falling. He lightly rubbed Hermione's back and nodded absently. Everything _would_ be just fine.


End file.
